4th Sunday of Easter (Year B): The Good Shepherd Sunday

4th Sunday of Easter

April 26, 2015

The Good Shepherd Sunday (Year B)

World Day of Prayer for Vocations

First Reading: Acts 4:8-12

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 118:1.8-9. 21-23. 26. 28. 29

Second Reading: 1 John 3:1-2

Gospel: John 10: 11-18

"I am the Good shepherd: the Good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and runs away, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep; he runs away because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. And there are other sheep I have that are not of this fold, and I must lead these too. They too will listen to my voice, and there will be only one flock, one shepherd. The Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me; I lay it down of my own free will, and as I have power to lay it down, so I have power to take it up again; and this is the command I have received from my Father."

Reflection:

     One day, a parishioner approached me for counseling. I lend her my ears to understand her issue. She told me that God has abandoned her. She felt God has left her after her graduation. I was astonished by her revelation not because it's unique but because of the time frame "after my graduation." I ask her to relate to me how her relationship with God was as a student and now that she's already working. Accordingly, she prayed fervently for all her needs and for her family too. She felt His presence everyday in her prayers. Suddenly, after having a job this religious experience has drastically changed. She can't feel God anymore though the fervor to pray was still there. Getting curious, I asked her why? Anxieties and worries of the unknown overwhelmed her. Most often prompted her to shorten her prayers, think much of her work and the ways how to please her boss. Furthermore, to alleviate these worries, she hangs out with her friends leaving her prayer life ignored.

     "There you are!" I told her. "You abandon God not God abandons you. You consider your troubles as if God's way of neglecting you. It might be an invitation to be with Him intimately once more. You forgot one thing you usually do, to pray unceasingly by surrendering your worries upon Jesus, our savior and let Him carry you on your journey. One mistake, our brothers and sisters in Jesus is committing, to carry their problems as if God has nothing to do with it. Our worries, issues and problems are our concrete materials for prayer. Being down by these disorders is an eventual opportunity of our life when we realize we are weak because casting our troubles upon Him when we realize Jesus is stronger than evil. Your graduation does not make you a superwoman. Remain weak, as in stay being vulnerable to sorrow and pain so that you continually needing Jesus. Let Jesus empowers you. Learn the way of St. Paul handling his turmoil as he said in 2 Cor. 12:10 "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

     Have you experienced the same?

     Never say Jesus abandons you! Our gospel reminds us that a good shepherd (Jesus himself) is willing to lay down his life for us to remain in Him. Indeed, he gave up His life on the cross so that whoever remains with Him up to that moment on dying oneself for His glory is together with Him in heaven.

    Listen to His voice in the ordinary things in your life. He's talking, guiding and journeying with you every day.

   So too with His church, Jesus did not left His community unattended. He continually sent workers to His flock to continue His shepherding mission. As the church celebrates the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, let us invoke the Holy Spirit to send more ardent workers to His church: 

"O God, You have chosen the Apostles to make disciples of all nations and by Baptism and Confirmation have called all of us to build up Your Holy Church."

"We earnestly implore You to choose from among us, Your children, many priests, brothers and sister who will love You with their whole heart and will gladly spend their entire lives to make You known and loved by all. Amen."