Jesus said:
“My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one.”– John 10:27-30
Shepherd and the Lamb | Gospel Reflection For The Fourth Sunday Of Easter
Israel’s mission—to be God’s instrument of salvation “to the
ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6)—is fulfilled in the Church.
By the “Word of God” that Paul and Barnabas preach in
today’s First Reading, a new covenant people is being born,
a people who glorify the God of Israel as the Father of them
all. Through the Church, the peoples of every land hear
the Shepherd’s voice and follow Him (see Luke 10:16). The
Church for all generations remains faithful to the grace of
God given to the Apostles, continuing their saving work.
The Good Shepherd of today’s Gospel is the enthroned
Lamb of today’s Second Reading. In laying down His life
for His flock, the Lamb brought to pass a new Passover (see
1 Corinthians 5:7), freeing “every nation, race, people, and
tongue” from bondage to sin and death by His Blood. The
Church is the “great multitude” John sees in his vision today.
God swore to Abraham his descendants would be too numerous to count (Genesis 15:5). And in the Church, as John sees,
this promise is fulfilled. The Lamb rules from the throne of God, sheltering His
flock, feeding their hunger with His own Body and Blood,
leading them to springs of life-giving water “welling up to
eternal life” ( John 4:14).
The Lamb is the eternal Shepherd-King, the son of David
foretold by the prophets. His Church is the kingdom of all
Israel that the prophets said would be restored in an ever-
lasting covenant (see Ezekiel 34:23–31; 37:23–28). It is not
a kingdom any tribe or nation can jealously claim as theirs.
alone. The Shepherd’s Word to Israel is addressed now to
all lands, calling all to worship and bless His name in the
heavenly Temple.
This is the delight of the Gentiles—that we can sing the
song that once only Israel could sing, today’s joyful Psalm: “he
made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends.”
The ordinary means to eternal life is Baptism. This occasion-
ally causes people to worry about children who die without
being baptized. Jesus knows all of His sheep, though, and
assures us that they will never perish. Regarding children who
remain unbaptized, then, the Church encourages us to take
comfort in our Father’s boundless mercy.
With respect to children who have died
without Baptism, the liturgy of the Church
invites us to trust in God’s mercy and to pray
for their salvation. (CCC 1283)
Many voices compete for our attention and obedience. The
voice of law at times can chart a course that is foreign to the
way of Jesus—just because something is legal does not nec-
essarily make it moral. In circumstances when human law
contradicts God’s Law, then, we have an obligation to uphold
the way of righteousness. We follow the voice of Jesus the
Good Shepherd.
Citizens are obliged in conscience not to
follow the directives of civil authorities when
they are contrary to the demands of the moral
order. “We must obey God rather than men”
(Acts 5:29). (CCC 2256)
Reflect
When Jesus says to me “No one can take [you] out
of my hand,” what is my reaction?
Does anyone in my community seem to be trying
to take people away from Jesus, away from God? If
so, what might I do about it?
PRAY
Most Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit—You invite Your people to join Your
communion of life and love in the Sacrament of
Baptism. Help me always to appreciate my bap-
tism, to live it faithfully, and to invite others to
unite themselves with You in this foundational
sacrament of initiation. Amen.
Image: Photo by Tanner Yould on Unsplash
