Gospel Reflection April 26 – Fr. Black
Sunday, April 26
Fourth Sunday of Easter
John 10: 1-10
Gospel:
Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
Gospel Reflection:
In the simplest of terms, Jesus uses the image of the gate that leads to the sheepfold. There have been many before Him who do not love the sheep as He does. He is protective of His sheep in the most loving way. He wants only the best for us and calls us in ways that we can easily recognize. When He calls us to love one another, He is showing us the gate. When He calls us to help one another, He is showing us the gate. When He forgives us and calls us to forgive one another, He is showing us the gate. He doesn’t only show us the gate, He holds it open for us. But we have to go through it. We have to, not only hear His voice, but follow His voice. Then we will have life and have it more abundantly.
Father Black