HOMILY FOR THE 4TH SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR A.
THEME: A good Shepherd must not lose his voice.
BY: Fr. Justus Oruma.
(a) Jesus is the good shepherd who cares for his sheep. He leads them out through the valleys of darkness for fresh waters and to green pastures where they will find rest and comfort. To enjoy this comfort one has to enter into the sheepfold of Christ. “My sheep listen my voice” says Jesus. Those who belong to this sheepfold are those who listen to His voice. They are His members. This membership are formed by His voice. In the Acts 2:14, Peter, the first representative of Jesus the Chief Shepherd, also lifted up his voice to address the people. Peter never lost or let this voice down, he lifted it. The Church is formed and led by this voice. We pray for our Bishops today who have taken the post of the shepherd the good shepherd.
RELATED: HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF 3RD WEEK OF EASTER.
(b) In many pictures of Jesus the good shepherd, He is seen carrying a sheep round his neck and on his shoulder. That is the weak or sick sheep. Jesus does not abandon us in our weaknesses, He even carries us on His shoulder where we get the comfort and the healing. We see the Bishops in the official ceremonies with their Staff as the Shepherd of their Dioceses. The Pope, the Archbishops are seen oft wearing the Pallium round their neck – which represents the sheep Jesus carried on his shoulder. This shows their responsibility entrusted to them as shepherds
(c) You wear your own Pallium round your shoulders. Their are responsibilities entrusted to you in your family and in your work place. “Be the Shepherd of what is entrusted to you”. Give life abundantly to what is entrusted to you. Let them not rot and decay on your shoulders. A good shepherd must not lose his/her voice for money or for worldly promises. Parents must not lose their voice in the family. Children should also shoulder their parents. We are entrusted to one another. We shoulder one another We guide not just with voice but with good actions, for action speaks louder than voice.
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