Homily 4th Sunday of Easter 2020 (A)
Today, we celebrate the fourth Sunday of Easter, which is also called “Good Shepherd Sunday”. In my homily, I’ll focus on two main points.
My first point is an invitation to all to hear the voice of Jesus our Good Shepherd and follow him.
Jesus often uses different common images of his social environment to which he identifies himself. For instance, he uses the image of Bread, Vine, or Gate of sheep. And today, he identifies himself to the Good Shepherd: “l am the Good Shepherd; l know my sheep, and mine know me.” So today’s Gospel highlights the relationships between Jesus, Good Shepherd, and the sheep he cares for and protects. Why do you think Jesus is the Good Shepherd? As Saint John Chrysostom said, “Shepherds always go behind their sheep; but He, on the contrary, goes before, to show that he would lead all to the truth.” In other words, as Fr Gabriel of Saint Mary Magdalen wrote, “The Shepherd is everything to his flock; their life, their sustenance, and their care is entirely in his hands; and if the shepherd is good, they will have nothing to fear under his protection, and they will want for nothing. Jesus is pre-eminently the Good Shepherd. He not only loves, feeds, and guards his sheep; but he also gives them life at the cost of his own. In the mystery of the Incarnation, the Son of God comes to earth in search of men who, like stray sheep, have wandered away from the sheepfold and have become lost in the dark valley of sin. He comes as a most loving Shepherd who, in order to take better care of his flock, is not afraid to share their lot.”
Long ago, when I did my first communion, the priest-pastor of my parish gave me a little image of Jesus Good Shepherd carrying a sheep on his shoulders. On the back of that image, the priest wrote a little message for me, saying, “Dear Pepin, look at carefully the sheep the Lord Jesus is carrying on his shoulders. You are that sheep. Jesus, Good Shepherd, loves you with a unique love. Open your heart to hear his voice, and follow him to serve him as a priest. Grab his hand, and just let him guide you, in faith and confidence.” As a matter of fact, that image of Jesus Good Shepherd and the message of my pastor made me more aware of my special relationship with Jesus Good Shepherd. I realized then how much Jesus loved me, how much he took care of me, guided me, and protected me. I was proud to be his sheep; proud as a peacock and happy as a clam. Therefore, today, my only feeling and joy is to sing with you, my brothers and sisters and fellow sheep of Jesus in Placerville and Georgetown, the Refrain of the Psalm 23 (22) that says, “The Lord is my Shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”
My second point is an invitation to all to pray for vocations.
This Sunday of Good Shepherd Sunday is also the international day of prayer for vocations. As the Lord Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So, pray to the Lord of the harvest, to send out workers into his harvest.” Most vocations to a life of service are first nurtured within the family. The French Jesuit, scientist and philosopher, Teilhard de Chardin, once said, “It was in my family that I became who I am. Most of my opinions, of my likes and dislikes, of my values and judgements, my behavior, my tastes, were moulded by the family I came from.” It means that our family remains the first platform of evangelization where faith and vocation can be taught. Today, how many parents talk about God, faith, spirituality and prayer home, in the family? How many parents talk about becoming a priest or a sister, or a Nun to their children home? Nobody! However, today, parents mostly talk, or dream and want their children to become Baseball Players in a prestigious team like the Giant of San Francisco; or to become Footballer of the 49ers of San Francisco; or to become a Professional Basketball Player of the NBA with the teams of Golden Gate Warriors, L.A. Lakers, Chicago Bulls, or San Antonio Spurs. Or they want their children to become movie stars of Hollywood. All this because today parents think only about money, how they their child can make more money. But nobody talks about God, religious’ life and priesthood. Let me remind you that the first school of vocation is your home, in your family. Take time to pray and discuss together with your children, give them the joy and envy to become a priest or a religious. We need vocations. Today, in Placerville and Georgetown, you are happy to have Fr Hernando and l. But, tomorrow, we will get old and retired. Please, pray for vocations; most importantly, pray for vocations in your own family, that your children, your nieces or nephews, your grandchildren open their hearts to Jesus’ call, to hear his voice through the Gospel and follow him to serve him as priests or religious in the consecrated life. Look at Fr Hernando and I, do we look miserable? Do we look unhappy? Look at Pope Francis, is he not more famous and respected than any movie superstar from Hollywood or any Baseball, Basketball or Football player? Let your children follow Jesus, and they won’t be disappointed. As Saint Augustine said, “To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; and to find him, the greatest human achievement.”
In this special Month of May dedicated to Virgin Mary, let us turn to the Blessed Mother of God to pray for vocations. She is the Mother of priests and religious, so that she may intercede for us. By the way, we can make our the prayer of Saint Pope John-Paul II about Vocations to say, “Lord Jesus Christ, Good Shepherd of our souls, you who know your sheep and know how to reach man’s heart, open the minds and hearts of the youth, those who search for and await a word of truth for their lives; let them understand that only in the mystery of your Incarnation do they find full light; arouse the courage of those who know where to seek the truth, but fear that what you ask will be too demanding; stir the heart of those who would follow you, but who cannot overcome doubts and fears, and who in the end follow other voices and other paths which lead nowhere. You who are the Word of the Father, the Word which creates and saves, the Word which enlightens and sustains hearts, conquer with your Spirit the resistance and delays of indecisive hearts. Virgin Mary, young daughter of Israel, support with your motherly love those whom the Father will grant that they hear his voice. Let them repeat with you the Yes of a joyful and irrevocable gift of self. Amen.”
Rev. Fr Pepin W. F. DANDOU
Georgetown, CA May 2, 2020.