4th Sunday, Year A Good Shepherd

 

This weekend is called Good Shepherd Sunday. The fourth week after Easter is always dedicated to Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

Saint Peter was the first shepherd of the Church as the first pope. Recall what Jesus said to Peter after Our Lord rose from the dead. Even though Jesus rose from the dead and they had seen Him two Sundays in a row, the apostles didn't know what to do. So Peter, said to the Apostles, “I'm going out to fish,” and they said, “We'll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat. After fishing all night, they caught nothing. But the next day, Jesus appeared on the shore, though they didn't recognize Jesus. He told them to throw out their nets for a catch and when they did, their nets were overflowing. John recognized Jesus, saying "It is the Lord!", but jumped into the water and swam to the shore. As Jesus was cooking a charcoal fire, He asked Peter three times if he loved him and three times Peter said yes. After each time Peter responded saying he loved Jesus, Our Lord said to Peter, "feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep." These words show Jesus made Peter Shepherd of the Church.

When I was in the Holy Land recently, we visited the church built over the sight where Jesus cooked fish for them and told Peter, he was to be the shepherd of the Church. The church is called, "The Church of the Primacy of St. Peter."

What was the very first way Peter shepherd the Jewish people and where did he do it?

We see this clearly at Pentecost, which is part of the first reading today from the Acts of Apostles today. After the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and Mary in the upper room after hearing the strong driving wind, Peter boldly went out to the Jews who gathered for the feast in Jerusalem, and said, "Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, "What are we to do, my brothers?" Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Did all the people who gathered outside the upper room, where Peter gave his sermon crucify Jesus? Yes. All of them may not have been there at the location, where Jesus was crucified, but every Jew, every Roman, every Gentile, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, atheist, etc...every person in the entire world from the moment the world was created until Jesus's second coming, participated, in the crucifixion of Jesus by our sins.

This is what a true shepherd will do, he will proclaim that every person, participated in the crucifixion of Jesus. And then tell them what to do, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Every pope, bishop, and priest is a shepherd, and every shepherd is called to bring all souls to Jesus. A shepherd should not fear in proclaiming that every person needs to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

When I was in the Holy Land, I met a priest from the United States, he said, he had been to the Holy Land before and the last time, he went to the wailing wall in Jerusalem, which is believed to be the remaining wall of the Temple. The priest said when he came to the wall, Jews screamed at him and accosted him. He said, "I'm not wearing my clerics this time, when I go to the wall, so they don't do that again. They won't know I'm a priest."

I must admit, I was disheartened to hear that he wanted to hide the fact that he was a Catholic priest. Our group was scheduled to go the wailing wall in a few days, and I thought I would wear my clerics, because I was willing to suffer for Jesus. Yet, could I have endured it, I hope so, but don't want to presume it, yet was willing to suffer for Jesus.

I was told by another priest, that Jews spit on Christians, especially priests at the wailing wall.

The thought occurred to me, "If I go to the temple wall, I don't care if I get accosted and will say to the Jews, "You people of Israel, you and your ancestors crucified Jesus, the one and only Messiah. He is Lord and Savior. Repent and be baptized everyone one of you, for the forgiveness of your sins, and accept Jesus into your life, for only He is the way, the truth and the life. Only Jesus can help you get to heaven. Despite participating in His death, He loves you and forgives you!" Despite these thought, due to the beginning of the war, we never went to the wailing wall.

The pope is the chief shepherd of the church and like Peter, he is also called to proclaim the Gospel, not only to Christians but to every man, woman and child and to every religion, whether that be Jew or Muslim or Hindu.

Saints went to their death proclaiming the truth about Jesus. For example, in 1597, Japanese martyrs, St. Paul Miki and companions were crucified for trying to convert others. He said, “As I come to this supreme of my life, I am sure none of you would suppose I want to deceive you. And so I tell you plainly: there is no way to be saved except the Christian way. My religion teaches me to pardon my enemies and all who have offended me. I do gladly pardon the Emperor and all who have sought my death. I beg them to seek baptism and be Christians themselves.”

Imagine for a moment what would happen if the pope, the current chief shepherd of the Church, went to a Muslim nation and said the words of St. Peter, "....know for certain that God has made both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." "Muhamad is a false prophet. The one and oly true prophet, who is Lord, God and King is Jesus Christ! And then told them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Would he convert all those who heard him, or would he die a martyr like St. Paul Miki and companions? This is what a shepherd is to do, to lay down his life to help others get to heaven.

As our bus was traveling the countryside in the Holy Land, out the window we could see the Bedouin people, who are nomads, that roam the country and live in tents. Every time I saw a flock of sheep, I saw a shepherd, who stood or sat by the sheep with a staff in his hand. He uses the staff to protect the sheep from animals, and bring back those that wander off. There were no fences, so the shepherd needed to constantly guide the sheep, to keep them close to him.

Today, the Church needs shepherds, like St. Peter, the first pope and like St. Paul Miki and companions, to boldly bring all into the flock of the Catholic Church. We need bishops and priests who are willing to suffer for Christ and to lay down their lives for sheep.

I would like to close with some thoughts about young men, who may be called to the priesthood. A recent survey that just came out a few days ago indicate statistics. 86% when the priest was a child, both parents were Catholic. 88% of the time, the priest, during the most formative childhood years, were raised by a married couple living together; 97% were raised by both biological parents. Before entering the seminary, 79% regularly prayed the Rosary, and 81% regularly participated in Eucharistic Adoration. 92% were encouraged by a parish priest to consider a vocation; 49% were encouraged by a friend, 46% by their mother, and 44% by a parishioner. 79% had served as altar servers.

The diocese of Wichita has more seminarians per capita than any other diocese in the United States.

Is there some young boy or young man, from our parish, whom God is calling to be a priest? And will he respond to become a shepherd to help bring as many possible to Jesus, the Good Shepherd?