A Reflection on the Fourth Sunday of Easter
From Fr. Eric Asamoah
Fourth Sunday of Easter is traditionally known as Good Shepherd Sunday and also marks World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
The Church teaches that God calls each of us to a unique vocation-a way of life ordered to His will-whether through marriage, the single life, religious life, or ordained ministry.
Today Good Shepherd Sunday, we will hear once more the words of that great psalm: ‘The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want’.
The portion of the Fourth Gospel that is read today (John 10:1-10) states that Jesus is the “Gate of the sheepfold.” He is the only way and the one access we have to the Household of God and to our heavenly Father, the only path that leads to our heavenly Homeland. He also knows the best way to sustain us on our journey back to God from where we came. Without Him, we lose entirely the necessary orientation that keeps us safe and secure.
That is why we need to constantly cling unto Him through prayer. Prayer is the means by which we “hear His voice” and respond to His call. Prayer can bring us to be reflective, to contemplate, to see and hear the actions and whisperings of the Holy Spirit in our lives. When we are reflective, we gain insights – we see things and we see people as God wants us to see them.
Today we are asked to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, but we should not forget that all Christians have a fundamental vocation to be loving and caring people.
The Church needs shepherds who lead not with power, but with love and service. In our homes we need parents who really care about their children, who spend time with them, and who still care for them even when they disappoint them. In our schools we need teachers who know their pupils and who take a personal interest in their well-being. In our hospitals we need doctors and nurses who care about their patients and who do not treat them as objects. In public life we need people who care about the welfare of others rather than their own selfish interests.
Whereas there are several types of vocations that we pray about, we want to join the Church in praying that many more people will accept the Lord’s call to become priests and religious; for the harvest is rich but the laborers are still few. Blessings
Past Reflections
- A Reflection on the Fourth Sunday of Easter
- A Reflection on the Third Sunday of Easter
- A Reflection on Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday
- A Reflection for Easter Sunday
- A Reflection on Palm Sunday
- A Reflection on the Fifth Sunday of Lent
- A Reflection on the Fourth Sunday of Lent
- A Reflection on the Third Sunday of Lent
- A Reflection on the Second Sunday of Lent
- A Reflection on the First Sunday of Lent
- A Reflection on the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Ash Wednesday
- A Reflection on the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
- A Reflection on the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
- A Reflection on Third Sunday In Ordinary Time
- A Reflection on Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
- A Reflection on The Baptism of the Lord
- A Reflection on Epiphany
- A Reflection on the Feast of Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
- A Reflection on Fourth Sunday in Advent and Nativity of the Lord
- A Reflection on The Third Sunday in Advent
- A Reflection on The First Sunday in Advent
- A Reflection on The Feast of Christ the King
- A Reflection on The Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
- A Reflection on Dedication for Lateran Basilica in Rome
- A Reflection on The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed