Today is May 11, the Fourth Sunday of Easter.
We read at today’s Mass, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand” (Jn 10:27-28).
At today’s Mass, we hear those beautiful words from the Gospel of John where Jesus reveals his identity as a shepherd.
Now, one thing you might not know about sheep — and I say this with some confidence, thanks to my brother-in-law, who’s something of an amateur shepherd — is that they are incredibly auditory creatures. They respond to voices, especially the familiar voice of their shepherd. In both ancient and modern pastoral practice, shepherds spend extensive time with their flocks — feeding, guarding and guiding them. And over time, the sheep learn their shepherd’s voice. They come to trust it.
If you’re a dog owner, you’ve probably seen something similar. Dogs perk up when they hear your voice. But sheep take it a step further. In a common pasture where flocks are mixed together, a shepherd can call out, and only his sheep — the ones who know and trust him — will come. It’s not instinct alone. It’s a response built on trust and repetition. They know that voice has led them to green pastures, to water, to safety.
‘I myself will pasture my sheep’
So when Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd, he’s not just using a convenient image. In fact, you’d think he might talk more about carpentry, given that he learned the trade from Joseph. But instead, he talks about shepherding — and there’s a reason for that.
Jesus is intentionally fulfilling the promises of the Old Testament. In Ezekiel, the Lord says, “I myself will pasture my sheep.” In Psalm 23 — the beloved “The Lord is my Shepherd” — God promises to lead his people to peace. So when Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd,” he’s declaring that he is the one who fulfills these prophecies. He is the Lord who comes to shepherd his people.
But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He goes on to say that the Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. That’s what makes him so radically different. He doesn’t just guide the flock — he sacrifices everything for them. Shepherds, in reality, endure miserable nights outdoors, face down wolves and risk their lives to protect their sheep. Jesus is telling us that he does the same — but in a far greater, eternal way.
And finally, shepherds don’t just guard — they guide. They lead the flock forward. And the sheep, recognizing the voice they trust, follow. That’s the heart of today’s Gospel.
Jesus isn’t offering a faith that burdens us. He’s offering a voice that leads to peace. He is the Shepherd who cares, who calls and who lays down his life for us.
So today, let’s pray that we will be the kind of sheep who listen for the voice of the Shepherd — and when we hear it, that we’ll follow it with urgency and joy.
Let us pray,
Almighty ever-living God, lead us to a share in the joys of heaven, so that the humble flock may reach where the brave Shepherd has gone before. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
