Homily Reflections

4th Sunday of Easter
Reading I: Acts 2:14,36-41 II: 1Peter 2:20-25

Gospel
John 10:1-10

1 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber;
2 but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
6 This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them.
9 I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Interesting Details

• In this passage Jesus is the sheepgate, not the good shepherd (that comes later in Jn 10:11-16).
• So who are the shepherds here? They are the leaders of the Church.
• Shepherds normally walk behind the sheep and urge them forward, but some shepherds walk ahead and call them with a distinct cry ("they recognize his voice").
• In Numbers 27:17 Moses asked God to give the people a leader so that the community would not be like "sheep without a shepherd."

One Main Point

Jesus is the sheepgate.

Every family then had a flock of sheep, but extended families keep their flocks together in one pen. A gatekeeper must know everyone in the extended family. The good shepherd leads the flock in and out of this gate.

Reflections

1. Imagine the state of the pen with Jesus as the sheepgate and his loving, faithful disciples as the good shepherds. What role do I play in the "pen" that is the community?
2. When I participate in the activities of the Church, do I enter through Jesus and act out of love, or do I steal for my own pride, causing conflicts and hatred?