April 21, 2024
Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year B)—Gud Shepherd Sunday
Readings for Today
Jesus talk say: “Na Me be di gud shepherd. Gud shepherd dey lay down im life for di sheep. Person wey dem hire, wey no be shepherd and wey di sheep no belong to, go see wolf dey come, leave di sheep run away, and di wolf go catch dem and scatter dem. Na because e dey work for pay and e no care about di sheep.” John 10:11–13
Today, for di Fourth Sunday of Easter, we dey celebrate Gud Shepherd Sunday. Na day wey we dey tink deep about di tender picture of Jesus as di Shepherd of all of us. Na also day wey dem set aside to pray make we get more shepherds inside our Church wey go care for God flock with di Heart of Christ.
Our Gospel passage come from John 10. Part of am dey explain di chapter before am, wey get di long and detailed story of how Jesus heal di blind man. Remember say Jesus heal dis man wey blind from birth. E do dis healing “so dat people go fit see di works of God through am.” Because of dis man healing, di Pharisees drive di blind man comot from di synagogue, because dem no believe say di healing wey Jesus do come from God. After dem drive di man comot from di synagogue, Jesus talk with am again, and e openly declare im deep faith in Jesus, di true Shepherd. Di blind man wey don receive healing talk say, “Lord, I truly believe.” Den e worship Jesus. So, di greater healing wey dis man receive na say e become member of God flock, as e accept Jesus as im true Shepherd.
Our Gospel today na wetin Jesus talk to explain di difference between wetin di Pharisees do and wetin E Himself do. Di Pharisees, as religious leaders, no be shepherds. Dem be “thieves and robbers” wey come to “steal and kill and destroy.” But Jesus come so dat people wey listen to Im voice “go fit get life and get am more abundantly.”
Di Gospel passage wey we quote above explain why di Pharisees no be true shepherds. Na because dem “dey work for pay” and dem “no care about di sheep.” Tink about wetin dis statement mean for di Pharisees and how dem treat dis man wey blind from birth. First of all, di “pay” wey dese Pharisees dey work for na to make dem look important for their own eye—reward of dis world wey no dey last. Dem see themselves as di true teachers and interpreters of di Law, and dem see anybody wey no follow dem as threat. Di Pharisees clearly see Jesus as dis kind threat to dem. Na why dem pour di anger from their envy on dis humble and simple blind man. Dem no act as shepherds to am. Dem no encourage am, support am, show am di way to God or act in any way as tool wey God go use give am grace. Instead, because of their pride, dem condemn dis innocent and holy man.
Even though God dey care for us today through Im sacred pastors, E call all of us to take part for dis work of di Gud Shepherd, each of us for our own special way. E call us to lead people for our families, for work, for school, for our neighbourhoods, among our friends and for every other part of society. But many times, we dey copy dese Pharisees as we allow our selfishness and desire to feel important stop us from putting other people first and loving dem with di Shepherd heart.
Today, tink deep about di call wey you receive to lay down your life for other people, as you follow di example of di Gud Shepherd. To copy dis love wey dey inside di Heart of Christ, we must love without looking for love in return. To lay down our lives na act of sacrificial love wey dey help us focus only on di needs of people around us. Pride and selfishness must comot, and di good of di other person must become our only goal. Tink about how well you dey do dis, and pray make di Gud Shepherd use you care for people for your life wey need am pass.
Divine Shepherd, You come to lay down Your life for all of us so dat we go fit get life and get am to di full. Like di blind man wey You heal, I openly declare my faith in You and I worship You. Help me to receive Your love and follow Your example, so dat I go lay down my life for other people and lead dem to You, their holy Shepherd. My Gud Shepherd, Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saint for Today – Saint Anselm of Canterbury, Bishop and Doctor of di Church
We no dey celebrate am as liturgical memorial dis year because e fall on Sunday
Scripture Meditations for Easter Season
