Gospel Reflection FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

I am the door of the sheepfold

The TV series ‘One Man and His Dog’ makes compelling TV viewing, the pivotal moment coming when the sheep, guided by the dog reach the gate of the fold. Will they enter or turn back? The choice, ultimately, belongs to them. Choice is at the core of the Christian journey as today’s gospel extract reminds us. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who guides, invites and leads us, His flock, to the Father’s house, but the choice remains with us, the sheep. Religion is not a matter of chance but of choice. My decisions are my destiny. On this Vocations Sunday we ask for the grace to steer the path He has chosen for us from the beginning, that will lead us to choose the only gate that leads to the fullness of life.

 A Story: A little boy was chosen to memorise Psalm 23, ‘The Lord is My Shepherd’ in order to recite it for parents, staff and priests at the grand assembly to mark the end of the school year. When the big night came the little lad stood on centre stage and began, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’, and then his mind went blank. The people waited anxiously while he struggled to remember the next line. Finally, he started again, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’. He paused for a moment, and then said, ‘And that is all I need to know’. At first, there was an uneasy silence, and then sustained applause rang out around the hall. The child was right. The Lord is our Shepherd, and that is all we need to know.