CHRIST THE GOOD SHEPHERD: LISTENING TO HIS VOICE AND FOLLOWING HIS CALL
Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year A) Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch Acts 2:14, 36-41; 1 Peter 2:20-25; John 10:1-10 A friend of mine who is a tourist once shared with me that the most frightening experience of his life was being lost in an unfamiliar place with no one to guide him. Darkness was not the greatest fear; uncertainty was. Human life often feels like that. Many people today are not lacking intelligence or opportunities; they are lacking direction, trustworthy guidance, and a voice they can follow. It is into this reality that the liturgy of this fourth Sunday of Easter presents Christ as the Good Shepherd. The Gospel reading is rich with pastoral imagery familiar to Jesus’ listeners. In the ancient world, shepherds did not merely drive sheep from behind; they walked ahead, knew each sheep, protected them from danger, and led them to pasture. Jesus says, “The sheep hear his voice… he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” This is deeply personal. Christ does ...
