2026 Cycle A - 4th Sunday Easter

Readings

4th Sunday Easter

Acts  2: 14a, 36-41;  Psalm 23: 1-6; 1 Peter 2: 20b-25;  John 10: 1-10

Homily Theme

Shepherd & Sheep

This Sunday the Church celebrates Good Shepherd Sunday, when we are reminded by the scriptures, that Jesus refers to Himself as our Good Shepherd and to us as His sheep. In the psalm response we will repeat several times that the Lord is our Shepherd. Is He really? Do we know His voice when he speaks to our hearts? Do we always follow Him everywhere He leads us? If we don’t, then we are not His true sheep. Not everyone who says the Psalm Response is a true follower of Jesus, if he or she, does not obey His voice when He calls.

Several years ago I asked a kindergarten class why Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd and us sheep. One child said it was because he loved animals. Another said because they were cuddly and yet another said because sheep were dumb: they would get lost without a shepherd to lead them. I was very impressed by their innocent answers and insights. Recently, I have come to appreciate those answers even more.

I have a priest friend who has a beautiful, intelligent King Charles spaniel whom he loves very much. He knows his dog and his dog know him. I am amazed how well they communicate with each other. It is truly wonderful to watch. When he says sit, the dog sits, but most dogs do that. When this dog wants a treat my friend asks the dog, “What do you have to do?” The dog immediately jumps up and gives him a kiss. This is just one of the many responses this dog does. It has given new meaning to the innocent answers of those small five year old children of years ago. Every dog owner knows their dog and their dog owner knows them. Jesus tells us today that He knows His sheep and His sheep know Him.

God loves us so much that He became one with us, when He took on our human form. He saw us as many sheep without a shepherd so he became our shepherd. He saw our many sins and became our sacrificial lamb. Then He died a painful death on a cross and became our Savior. He did all this so that we might live forever with Him in heaven. God truly loves us. He loves us more than any dog owner loves their dog and He knows us better than any dog owner knows their dog. If we are truly His sheep then we should love him more than any dog loves their human master. He loves us no matter what. He even loves all the people who don’t love Him. He died for every human being on the earth that ever lived and that’s a lot of love. He died for all us dumb sheep that is why He became the lamb. He knows us but do we really know Him? We should if He is really our Shepherd. If we are not following Him and listening to His voice, then, we are really dumb sheep. Remember, He loves us so much that He became our Shepherd and the sacrificial Lamb. He died and rose again so that we can live with Him for all eternity.

He asks all of us today?

What do we have to do?

Love Him and follow Him.