Good Shepherd and vocations Sunday
may 11, 2025 | fourth sunday of easter, Year C
Acts 13:14, 43-52; Psalm 100; Revelation 7:9, 14B-17; John 10:27-30
Dear friends, today we celebrate the Good Shepherd Sunday also known as “World Day of Prayer for Vocations” I invite our parish community to pray for vocations to the priesthood, the diaconate and the consecrated life so that we may have more good shepherds to lead, feed and protect the Catholic community. By living an exemplary Christian life, we can all foster vocations. Parents should pray and also foster vocations by living their Christian values. Parents should give to their children encouraging words about our Catholic Church, the missionaries and their pastors. May Jesus, the Good Shepherd, send more laborers into his vineyard!
“I’m the Good Shepherd”
The image of the good shepherd provokes a deep impression in almost all cultures across the world. “The Lord is my Shepherd”, declared David in Psalm 23. In the Old Testament, the image of the Shepherd is often applied to God as well as to the leaders of the people. The Book of Exodus, the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel see God’s care and protection of His people to that of a shepherd.
“He is like a shepherd feeding his flock, gathering lambs in his arms, holding them against His breast and leading the mother ewes to their rest” (Is 40:11).
For those leaders who portray selfishness and greed and an unloving attitude, the prophet warns them like in Jeremiah 23:1: “Doom for the shepherds who allow the flock of My pasture to be destroyed and scattered." And Ezekiel 34:2: “Trouble for the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shepherds ought to feed their flock.”
In the New Testament, Jesus makes three claims of Himself to affirm that he is the Good Shepherd. He listens, leads and loves his sheep. He is the Good shepherd because 1) He knows his sheep and his sheep hear his voice: Just as the Palestinian shepherds knew each sheep of their flock by name, and the sheep knew their shepherd and his voice, so Jesus knows each one of us, our needs, our merits and our faults. He loves us as we are. 2) He gives eternal life to his sheep by dying for them... Through the sacraments, Jesus gives us life. 3) Jesus as the Good Shepherd loves and protects his sheep by placing them in the loving hands of his Almighty Father. The Good Shepherd indicates the special loving relationship with Jesus Christ and us his disciples. To an extent, we all invited to become good shepherds and good sheep, good leaders and good followers.
Happy Vocation Sunday!
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC
Living the Gospel this week: Becoming good shepherds:
Following the example of Jesus, everyone who is entrusted with the care of others is a shepherd. Hence, pastors, parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, government officials, etc. are all shepherds. We become good shepherds by loving those entrusted to us, praying for them, spending our time and talents for their welfare, and guarding them from physical and spiritual dangers. Parents must be especially careful of their duties, thus giving their children good examples through the way they live their Christian lives.
Am I a good shepherd? A good sheep? A good follower?
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC