April 30, 2023
Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year A)—Sunday of di Good Shepherd
Readings for Today
Jesus talk say: “Amen, amen, I dey tell una, anybody wey no enter di place wey dem dey keep sheep through di gate, but climb enter from another side, na thief and robber. But di person wey enter through di gate na di shepherd of di sheep. Di gatekeeper dey open di gate for am, and di sheep dey hear im voice, as di shepherd dey call im own sheep by name and lead dem comot.” John 10:1–3
Di people wey live for Jesus time for understand dis story easily. Shepherds dey normally talk to their sheep throughout di day, so dat di sheep go sabi their shepherd voice well as e dey lead dem go different grasslands to chop grass. For night, different shepherds go gather their sheep together inside one place wey get secure gates, to keep dem safe. For morning, each shepherd go call im sheep, and because dem sabi their shepherd voice, di sheep go follow their own shepherd, no be di others.
Di first question wey each of us suppose ask ourselves today na dis: I sabi di Shepherd voice? I don sabi His voice so well dat I fit clearly tell di difference between His voice and other voices? Try picture how e go be if different shepherds dey call their sheep at di same time. Dis na picture of di different voices wey dey compete for our attention for life. But only one of those voices na God voice. You sabi His voice? Or di plenty other urges, desires and things wey dey attract you and compete for your attention dey confuse you?
Jesus continue His teaching as E talk say no be only di Shepherd wey di sheep sabi His voice E be; E still be di gate. “Na Me be di gate. Anybody wey enter through Me go get salvation, and e go enter, comot and find grassland to chop grass.” Wetin our Lord mean when E call Himself di gate?
As di Gate, na Him be di Word of God wey God reveal to us through di Scriptures. To remain faithful to di Word of God na one of di surest ways to enter di life of grace. Na Him be di Word of Truth wey di Magisterium, di teaching authority of di Church, don pass down and dey explain. If we remain faithful to di authentic teaching of di Magisterium, especially when di Holy Father dey speak in union with di bishops, e go help us find our way through di plenty errors of our time. Jesus dey present to us through di Sacraments, wey be di door to His grace and di entrance to di food for our spiritual life. Again, any time wey our Lord come meet us, whether na through holy preaching, di witness and teaching of di saints, di prayer life inside di Church, or any other way, we dey enter di gate and dem dey welcome us into His green pastures.
Jesus na di gate, no be only for di sheep, but also for each shepherd wey dey lead di sheep in His name. Na dem be di pastors of di Church wey dem don entrust with Christ mission to lead God people. Today, if any shepherd of di Church fail to preach Jesus Christ, then dat shepherd “come only to steal, slaughter and destroy.” Pastors of di Church must humble themselves and listen well to these words, so dat dem no go ever fail to care for God people by leading dem through di Gate, wey be Christ Himself. All of dem must remain faithful to di whole Tradition of our Church, wey dem don pass down through all di ages, and dem must not turn away from di pure and holy faith wey God don entrust to di Church. If dem preach their own gospel, or dem no take their preaching seriously, or dem dey mislead people through their preaching, then dem no be true shepherds. God true sheep no go recognise dem. But if dem remain faithful to everything wey Jesus don teach, then dem go lead di sheep through di gate and become shepherds wey dey in union with di Heart of di Good Shepherd.
Today, reflect on di picture of Christ di Good Shepherd, wey dey call us in different ways. We must learn to sabi His true voice through faith and prayer. Once we recognise His voice, e go easier for us to discover how E dey minister to us, inspire us and invite us to di life of grace, as we encounter Him as di source and di way to dis new life.
Good Shepherd, You dey speak to me all di time, dey show me Your presence and how You dey guide my life. Make I sabi Your holy Voice so well dat I go always recognise am. Lead me to Yourself, di glorious Gate to di life of grace, and change me into one sheep wey dey faithful and obedient. Jesus, my Good Shepherd, na You I trust.
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