(Good Shepherd Sunday)
Friends,
We continue our journey through Eastertide, experiencing the joy of the Risen Lord. This fourth Sunday of Easter traditionally features Jesus as the Good Shepherd and is also kept every year as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
In the first reading, Peter explains that the miracle he has been able to perform came not from him, but from the name of Jesus Christ, the keystone rejected by the builders.
The Psalm, sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem, is a thanksgiving prayer from someone who has been rescued from an ordeal. It uses the same cornerstone image as the first reading. Just like Peter, the psalmist acknowledges the Lord as his Savior.
The writer of the second reading stresses that we are God’s children. Although we might find the path difficult, and feel unsure of what the future holds, we will be transformed into God’s likeness when we meet him.
In the Gospel, Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd, who intimately knows us, lays down his life for us, and wants to bring everyone into his fold. As we pray for vocations today, let us be willing and able to fulfill our own vocation in the likeness of the Good Shepherd. Let us also pray for peace on earth.
Joy and peace.
