Gospel Reflection for the 4th. Sunday of Easter

22nd. April – Jesus the Good Shepherd

When I was a child there was a simple game that we used to play in the school yard at lunch time. It was called ‘Follow the leader.’ One person would be picked and what they did and said, the rest of us copied. We followed what they did. The last person to be still standing was the winner and then they became the leader and the game continued.

There are many powerful images and symbols used to talk about and describe Jesus. He even described himself as the Bread of Life, the Vine, the Light of the world and the Water of life. However, perhaps the most universally well known is Jesus the Good Shepherd. He is shown in many paintings, posters and prayer cards as the shepherd carrying a lamb on his shoulders.

We live in a modern world and society of famous, glamorous people; celebrities. They are on our televisions most evenings. There are magazines dedicated to them and their wealthy lifestyles. And now because of the internet and social media, we are told we can ‘follow’ them as they keep us up to date and informed as to what they are doing on daily basis. Some of these celebrities claim to have millions of followers. However, as we are all aware celebrities come and go very quickly. What is fashionable and trendy one month may not be as popular the next.

At the beginning of his ministry Jesus called people to follow him with these powerful and challenging words, ‘If you want to be m and disciple, come take up your cross and follow me.’ There is nothing popular, trendy or fashionable about following Jesus. In fact, I suggest it is the very opposite. This call to follow Jesus is a real, relevant and radical today for us as when Jesus first said it. Jesus is not a celebrity. He won’t be fashionable one month and gone the next. He has promised to be with each of us all the time and until the end of time. He won’t disappear, he won’t let us down and we can rely on his word and what says to us.

The call to follow Jesus the Good Shepherd is in open invitation. Jesus simply says, ‘Come follow me.’ He doesn’t demand that we follow him and he can’t make us follow him. Jesus the Good Shepherd freely invites us and asks that we follow him out love. He invites us freely and the choice to follow him is one that we need to make freely. Our response to follow Jesus the shepherd needs to be based on freedom. He calls us by our name and waits for us to responds freely.

‘The Lord is like a shepherd feeding his flock, gathering lambs in his arms and holding them close.’ (Isaiah 40.11)

When Jesus the Good Shepherd calls us by our name to follow him, may we respond freely out of love.

• Michael Moore OMI