Saturday, April 21, 2018

4th Sunday of Easter - Cycle B

 Today we hear Peter proclaim, that the only name under heaven given to the human race, by which we can be saved is Jesus.  

 

Peter, who once denied Jesus, now proclaims that no salvation can come from anyone else.  

 

He tells the Jewish leaders challenging him that the crippled man was cured through the name of Jesus.  

 

Peter tells the leaders, “He is the stone rejected by the builders, which has become the cornerstone”.  

 

A cornerstone is the main support of a structure.   

 

If the cornerstone is removed the structure is not sound.  

 

The name of Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith, that we rely on for our salvation.  

 

There was much resistance during Apostles time, to the power of Jesus’ name to save.  

 


 

We encounter similar resistance in our culture today, to the saving power of Jesus’ name.  

 

We all try to place our faith in Jesus at the cornerstone of our lives.  

 

That’s why we all here today. 

 

Our culture tells us that the powerful and the popular are what’s most important.  

 

It may be the stars of the current top musical hits, TV shows or movies.  

 

It may be who has the most followers on Instagram or Twitter. 

 

Or it could be the countries showing the most military might, or the companies with the highest stock market value.  

 

These sources of power and popularity are what the world puts faith in.  

 

But the Gospel today presents a different image. 

 

Not one of fame or power, but that of a humble shepherd.  

 

The Good Shepherd.

 


 

We really don’t have much experience with shepherds today.  

 

I drove by a large herd of sheep this past Friday, but was no shepherd to be seen.  

 

Shepherds still exist today, but mainly in third world countries in Asia, Africa, and South America. 

 

During Jesus’ time shepherds were quite common, and the people would relate well to this image.  

 

A shepherd lived among his flock and was in constant care of the sheep. 

 

He would help them find pasture to graze, water to drink, and protect them from danger.  

 

The shepherd would use only his staff and rocks to fend off predators from threatening his flock.   

 

The shepherd spent so much time with his flock that they knew him by his voice.    

 


 

Jesus tells us, “I am the good shepherd.”   

 

He tells us in human terms of how a good shepherd is different from a hired caretaker. 

 

The hired man would flee in the face or danger, fearing for his own life, with no concern for the sheep.  

 

Not Jesus, the good shepherd.  

 

He will lay down his life for his sheep. 

 

Jesus also reveals his divine nature as the good shepherd. 

 

In using the words “I am”, it echoes of God speaking to Moses on Mt. Sinai.  

 

Jesus relates his intimate relation to his flock, “I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father”. 

 

He’s in communion with his flock, just as he is with the Father.  

 

Through this deep intimate relationship, he’s “willing to lay down his life for the sheep”.    

 

Jesus willingness to give up his life, shows the deep love of the Father for us.  

 

Through the love of the Father, Jesus has the power to take up his life as well.  

 

He does the same for all of us who believe and follow him in faith. 

 


 

Jesus tells us in the Good Shepherd discourse that “I know mine.”  

 

How does He know each of us?  

 

St. John tells us that we are called children of God.  

 

As his children, he has deep love for us and wants the best for each of us.  

 

He knows all our sorrows and our joys and is there for us in good times and bad. 

 

How do we know God?   

 

Do we have an intimate relationship with Jesus, the Good Shepherd?   

 

We do so by encountering him often in his Word and in receiving the sacraments of the Church.  

 

We also do so by spending time with him in prayer, both personnel and in community at Mass.  

 

We can know God in encountering people and serving them with love in our families, at school or work, and in helping those in need. 



 

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, lays down his life for us and raises it up, so we can have eternal life.    

 

We experience this each time we are present at the Eucharist. 

 

Jesus body and blood in the presence of bread and wine is broken and offered up to the Father on our behalf.  

 

He becomes sacramentally present in the Eucharist to nourish with his grace to help us on our journey through life. 



 

As we continue to rejoice in the Risen Lord this Easter, let’s commit to put our faith in the name of Jesus, rather than power, fame, and fortune as our culture tells us. 

 

Let’s make Jesus Christ the cornerstone of our life, as He is the Good Shepherd who willingly gave his life for us.  

 

Let’s be willing to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow where he is calling us, to save us from death and to raise us to eternal life.