Homily for 4th Sunday of Easter

Homily for the
4th Sunday of Easter

May 10, 1987

Psalm 23
Holy Cross, Fairfield, Conn.

The 4th Sunday of Easter in 1987 happened to be Mother’s Day, as readers will see as they read.

“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want” (Psalm response).

“Since the biblical peoples descended from nomadic herders, family and social structures were often built around the shepherd’s tasks, and the comparison of leaders in society with shepherds readily suggested itself.  David, whose legendary exploits made him the national hero, is a shepherd king.  Occasionally, as in Psalm 23, God is seen as the shepherd of those who place their trust in divine providence.”[1]

Ancient fresco of Christ, the Good Shepherd

More particularly, Jesus is the authentic shepherd who leads his flock in safety. After himself going thru the dark valley of death, he is our gateway to the verdant pastures and the restful waters of eternal life.

Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection show us God’s fatherly care for us.  “At one time [we] were straying like sheep, but now [we] have returned to the shepherd, the guardian of [our] souls” (1 Pet 2:25), i.e., to the Father thru the cross of Jesus.

Who today shows us Jesus as shepherd, shows us God’s tender guidance?  I think we have to say that it certainly isn’t our politicians, our business leaders, or our sports heroes.  But one positive answer is “mothers.” God has blessed most of us with beautiful, faith-filled mothers who have shepherded us in the ways of love, of faith, of generosity.

A 2nd answer is “priests, deacons, and religious.”  By “religious” I mean nuns and monks, sisters and brothers.  Today is world day of prayers for vocations—deliberately placed on this Good Shepherd Sunday.

The Church absolutely needs good, holy mothers—and fathers too, for parents are a team.  The faith is passed on from generation to generation—mostly thru our mothers.  Mothers teach us to pray and tell us Bible stories.  Mothers show us Christ’s virtues in their own self-giving lives.  According to research data, mothers are the 2d greatest vocational influence on men who become priests—and I suppose it’s also true of men and women who become religious.  (Lest you wonder, the biggest influence is other priests.)

The Church absolutely needs good, holy sisters, brothers and religious order priests.  These are the people who constantly remind us of eternal life by their celibacy, of God’s will by their obedience, of Christ’s all-surpassing value by their poverty.  They teach us in school or CCD, staff our hospitals, visit the sick and homebound, bring Christ to foreign lands.

The Church absolutely needs good, holy diocesan and religious order deacons and priests.  They bring us the sacraments; they preach the work of God; they guide our spiritual lives; they are the eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ present to us.

The Church also needs the good, holy lives of dedicated singles, of widows, and of widowers.  The Church even needs good, holy youngsters like St. Dominic Savio, whose feast we celebrated last week.[2]

Mothers and fathers we’ll have as long as love makes the world go ’round.  As you know, much of the world, including the U.S., faces a serious shortage of priestly and religious vocations, one that will reach crisis proportions in 20-30 years if present trends continue.[3]

Present trends don’t have to continue.  We all need to pray for new vocations.  We priests and religious must be good role models that others would like to follow.  Parents and other members of the family must encourage any sign that one of their children might have this special calling from the Lord—to be a shepherd of his people.  Youngsters must seek enlightenment to know what kind of vocational call God is giving them:  marriage, single life, priesthood, religious life; and must pray for the necessary wisdom and courage to answer the call.

God, the chief shepherd of our souls, never leaves his flock without enuf pastors—a word that means “shepherd” in Latin.  But he leaves us free to answer his call or not to; and holds us accountable, too, for our answer.

Jesus came that we might have life and have it to the full (John 10:10).  He needs mothers, fathers, priests, brothers, and sisters to share his life with the world.

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    [1] Monika K. Hellwig, “Gateway to Life,” America, May 2, 1987, p. 373.

    [2] St. Dominic’s feast is May 6.

    [3] The trends have continued, and the shortage—and aging—of priests is a significant factor in pastoral ministry in all Western societies, and in the U.S. is a factor in the closing and merging of parishes.