KNOWING THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Meditation for 4^th Sunday of Week of Easter, Year B

(Acts 4:8-12; Jn 10:11-18)

Jesus declares, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." The Characteristics of the good shepherd is unique and separates him from the hired man, who runs away when he sees wolf coming. While the good shepherd offers his life to save the life of his sheep, the hireling saves his life at the expense of the sheep. 

Now, meditate on a sheep, grazing freely in the field but there are wolves around, looking for opportunity to devour the sheep. The sheep looks back, sees the good shepherd behind it and knowing what he can do, continues to graze freely on the grass, not minding the wicked eyes of the wolves! Think about such KNOWLEDGE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD that gives the sheep confidence to carry on. That is the kind of knowledge Jesus shares with His sheep, and shares with the Father. "I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep."

This knowledge of Jesus that gives CONFIDENCE to the believer is unknown to the world. So the life of an uthentic believer is elusive to the world. That is why worldly life blindfolds the believer from seeing the hand of God at work in his life; he sees only wolves in the field of life,  fear and uncertain define his every move. The second reading says, "The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him." But we are God's children; He knows us and watches over us.

Therefore, we shall remain firm in this knowledge of Jesus the Good Shepherd that sets us free. Like Peter in the First reading, we stand against every opposition to witness to this surpassing knowledge of Christ, which manifests its power in our lives. Peter told elders that the Jesus the rejected has become the Cornerstone. "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Amen.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Andrew's Catholic Church,

Illemba, Lagos. 

Sunday April 25^th, 2021.

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