Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday
April 25, 2021 •
This passage that Jesus gives to us is not just for His sheep, that you would be reminded of His great love for you, but this is actually, more importantly for the shepherds. For the ones he was going to put in charge of His flock. For the men that He was going to choose as popes and bishops and priests....
Our job through Holy Ordination is to be conformed to Christ, not just sacramentally so that when we say the words of institution it's really Jesus, or when we say the words of absolution you're really forgiven - yes, that's why were' ordained, but even in our mode of shepherding we're supposed to imitate Christ.
And we don't always do this. Oftentimes priests and bishops, and even throughout the centuries even popes, have acted more as hired workers, in it for the pay. Not imitating the Lord. Not loving His sheep as he loves them. This is a great tragedy.
If you remember the words of Saint John Vianney, the patron saint of diocesan priests, he said that:
"If a pastor - a shepherd - is a saint, his people will be holy.
If a pastor is holy, his people will be good.
If a pastor is good, his people will be mediocre.
If a pastor is mediocre, his people will be bad.
And if a pastor is bad, God save his people."
...Jesus teaches very clearly from the prophet Isaiah, that God gives to the people the leaders they deserve. He's not speaking just of Church leaders - He is certainly - but he's speaking about every type of leader. It could be your boss at work, your Governor, your President, your pastor, the Bishop, the Pope, doesn't matter: God gives to His people the shepherd they deserve.
... How do we know how we deserve a certain type of leader? It's whether we're striving to conform our lives to the commands of God. Are we seeking after the Lord? Seeking to obey His commandments? To put Him first in our life?
As long as you are seeking to conform your life to Christ, our Lord promises to send you holy leaders.
Acts: 4:2-12; Ps 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29; 1 Jn 3:1-2; Jn 10:11-18
Homily begins at 20:20