Fourth Sunday of Easter - Year A
Good Shepherd Sunday
Rev. Mr. James Fourcade

Today’s readings invite us to encounter the risen Christ, the Good Shepherd, and to reflect on the call to conversion and deeper trust in God.

Throughout Scripture, there is a consistent image of the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep. Jesus’ use of this image makes perfect sense, because people of his time understood well the role of a shepherd to his sheep. The shepherd cared for his flock, even to the point of laying down his life to protect them. He led the sheep rather than following behind them. He gathered them together to himself rather than letting them wander. He instructed them in Scripture which becomes the doorway into the sheepfold of Christ. Those who confess the true Christ enter through the door. Shepherds use the door; thieves seek whatever entrance is possible.

The Good Shepherd is also the gatekeeper. In the evening, shepherds of a village would gather their sheep into a common fold—a corral surrounded by briars or other barriers. The shepherds would take turns lying across the entrance, becoming the gate themselves, protecting the sheep from predators. At sunrise, each shepherd would enter the corral and call his sheep. The sheep recognized their shepherd’s voice, and he would lead them out to pasture.

Jesus’ analogy is powerful and timeless. Today, on Good Shepherd Sunday, we are reminded that this is not just about Him—it is also about us. Each of us, especially parents and grandparents, is called to be a shepherd within their own domestic church, their family. Jesus teaches us how to care for our flock—our children and loved ones. A good shepherd leads, guides, protects, heals, strengthens, corrects, gathers the wandering, and loves unconditionally. And when the time comes, we pray our children and loved ones will find their way to the gatekeeper—Jesus—who leads them to the Father.

Young people are not excluded from this call. You, too, are called to be shepherds to your siblings and friends. As the oldest in my family, I had that responsibility—to guide, care for, and lead by example. Though, I must admit, my siblings might say I was more bossy than shepherd-like—and they would probably be right.

A true shepherd enters through the gate—through Christ—and proves worthy by faithfully teaching truth and guarding the flock from false doctrine. A good shepherd leads by example, showing respect, fairness, compassion to all ages, and a commitment to the common good, even when it is not popular or when some in their flock are difficult and opinionated.

In our first reading, Saint Peter, emboldened by the Holy Spirit, proclaims a message of Christ with such power that his message “cuts to the heart” to the Jews listening to him. The message was so transformational that three thousand people repented and were baptized. While we may not be Saint Peter, we are still called to lead others to Christ, whether we are a priest, deacon, religious, parent, grandparent through our words and our witness.

In OCIA, I often ask those seeking to join the Church: Why do you want to become Catholic? Some say they are searching for truth and have discovered that the truth of Christ’s message is found in His Church founded in 33 A.D., while other religions began much later. Some seek a truth that does not change when their pastor leaves or their church splits due to shifting doctrinal opinions. Others feel there is something more—a divine presence—and want to understand it because there has to be more to life than creation around us. This is the movement of the Holy Spirit calling out to be heard. This is a heart opening to God. This is a moment of grace drawing them to Christ’s flock as they respond to the call.

But we must choose to listen. Like when our parents call our name—we can ignore their call and face the consequences or respond and receive its blessings. Judas heard and was a wolf but wore sheepskin as he followed, laying a snare for the shepherd.  Others did not hear at first for they were not sheep yet, so they must have been wolves.  However, when they finally did hear his voice, they were transformed. As Saint Augustine reminds us, some who were once like wolves became sheep when they heard the Shepherd’s voice. Jesus would not have called himself the Good Shepherd if there were not bad shepherds as well.

Our domestic church is constantly under attack by wolves and thieves seeking to lead us, our children, our loved ones away from Christ. Mary Magdalene did not recognize the risen Christ until He called her by name. Likewise, we must help others recognize His voice.

Jesus presents Himself both as shepherd and gate—active protector and steadfast guardian. We are called to reflect both roles in our lives. Those around us will see us either as faithful gatekeepers or something less.

We cannot be afraid to stand for what is right. Even today, faith is challenged. When Archbishop Paul Coakley guided us to offer a prayer for peace, he was ridiculed on social media. In Jesus’ time, those who believed in Him were cast out of the synagogue. Once expelled, they were forced to worship Caesar or face severe consequences, even death. This explains why the parents of the man born blind were afraid to speak openly that Jesus was the Messiah —they feared expulsion.  After the blind man’s healing neither he nor Jesus was accepted by the Jewish leadership.

Like the early Christians, we may face suffering for our faith. But as our second reading reminds us, we are called to endure as Christ did—without threats, without insults, but with trust in God.

We are the flock of the Lord. Yet like sheep, we sometimes wander. The Pharisees did not understand Jesus’ message, but we do. Even as an imperfect flock, we trust that Jesus will not lead us astray. He guides, protects, and leads us to the Father.

And so, we give thanks to Jesus, our Good Shepherd. And we pray for vocations to priesthood and religious life.  We also pray for those who have not yet heard or followed His voice—that they, too, may hear and discover, even in sorrow, the greatest joy they could ever know.