HOMILY FROM CANON STEPHEN BAILLIE
4th Sunday of Easter
World Day of Prayer for Vocations
The Good Shepherd
In Jesus’ time, being a Shepherd was not a pleasant job. Sheep became easily lost and the Shepherd’s job was to guide them back to safety. There were many dangers and the sheep were totally dependant on the shepherd. Shepherds would round up their sheep in the evening and guide them into their pen. But it had no gate, so the shepherd would have to lie across the space in case the sheep were attacked in the night. The shepherds literally lay down their lives for their flock. John compares the sacrifice of the shepherd to the ‘hired hand’ who is not really committed to the flock. He does what he has to, but flees at the first sign of trouble.
This Good Shepherd Sunday the Gospel describes Jesus as the ‘genuine’ Shepherd who wants a personal relationship with each one of us and who would lay down his life for us. The Gospel emphasises the importance of relationship as the shepherd knows his flock and cares for them. They ‘Follow Him’ and it is not a Facebook or Twitter type of following, rather it is a genuine relationship. Everyone matters to the Good Shepherd, regardless of their situations. We are told ‘I know my own and my own know me’. We are called today to follow Jesus in a more personal, more intimate way. Even when we stray off the path and get lost, it is then especially that the Good Shepherd comes looking for us.
It is with heart-filled compassion that Pope Benedict tells the priests, deacons and religious – that if we are struggling with our vocation – we have to pick ourselves up and refocus on the Lord. Jesus falls three times on the way to Calvary – to highlight that we – God’s people need to pick ourselves up and start again! May God bless you, your families and indeed our priests, deacons and religious of the diocese on this World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
