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Message from the desk of the Pastor:

FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

Sunday, May 11, 2025

Gospel Reading 

John 10:27-30

Jesus describes his care for his sheep.

Background on the Gospel Reading

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is also called Good Shepherd Sunday. In each of the three lectionary cycles, the Gospel is taken from the tenth chapter of the Gospel        of John. This chapter of John's Gospel follows Jesus' healing of the man born blind    and the rejection of this miracle by Jewish leaders who question Jesus' authority to heal. Jesus responds to this challenge to his authority by calling himself the Good Shepherd. He is criticizing the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders. Already, the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders are so angered that they attempt to stone        and arrest Jesus (see John 10:31 and 10:39). This controversy with the religious leaders continues until Jesus' death.

Set in a moment of tension and conflict in John's Gospel, today's Gospel reading        is Jesus' answer to the question, “Are you the Messiah?” Jesus responds by      saying,  in essence, “If you have to ask, then you are not one of my sheep.” Then Jesus asserts his unity with the Father. At the conclusion of these words, John reports that the Jews intend to stone Jesus for blasphemy, but he escapes arrest.

We may be less familiar with the metaphors of sheep and shepherd than those          to whom Jesus spoke. The image of Jesus as Good Shepherd and the community    of followers as his sheep has endured over the centuries as a primary image in        our faith tradition. Its power to describe the relationship between Jesus and his followers transcends direct experience with sheep. The image speaks to us about  the protection, security, and care that shepherds represent for their sheep.

Today's Gospel speaks powerfully about the familiarity and intimacy between      Jesus and his disciples, expressed as recognizing and knowing another's voice. Today's Gospel also speaks to the relationship between Jesus and the Father.            In the Gospel of John, Jesus identifies so closely with the Father that he tells us    that they are one—not just close, but actually one. To know Jesus is to know the Father. Jesus doesn't just bring us closer to the Father, Jesus puts us directly into contact with God the Father, removing all distance between us. Our relationship    with Jesus is an invitation to share in the life of God.

Family Connection

Not only can we recognize family members' voices, we can also read the tone of  their voices and know something about how they are feeling. In our relationship    with Jesus, we know Jesus' voice and are called to follow. Jesus doesn't just        bring us closer to the Father, Jesus puts us directly into contact with God the      Father, removing all distance between us. In the Gospel of John, Jesus identifies      so closely with the Father that he tells us that they are one—not just close, but actually one. Knowing Jesus means knowing the Father.

Read with your family today's Gospel, John 10:27-30. Ask your family members          to talk about some ways that Jesus brings them closer to God and closer to one another. Pray together the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Love.