Fourth Sunday of Easter
(Acts 2:14.36-41; I Peter 2:20-25; John 10:1-10)
Fifty years ago, some laypeople and clergy objected to
referring to the laity as “sheep.” Their argument was that most people
associate sheep with incompetence, submissiveness, and fear. They maintained
that many laypeople are well educated, articulate, and quite capable of making
decisions for their own good.
Without wishing to offend anyone, the comparison can be
defended with three observations. First, the Bible—and especially this Gospel
of John—refers to the faithful as sheep in need of strong and sensible
shepherds. Second, the comparison is not really an insult, since sheep are not
as weak as popular opinion suggests. Farmers and scientists recognize the
intelligence of sheep: they can recognize faces, find natural remedies for
their illnesses, and know how to protect themselves when a storm is approaching.
The third observation is not complimentary to humanity. If
sheep can wander off and get lost, many men and women behave in a similar way.
Numerous people fall into addictions that they know are harmful. Drugs,
high-risk gambling, and pornography are just some of the many vices that
ensnare us. Wars, fights, reckless driving, and betrayals give testimony to the
human tendency toward self-destruction. Let us now consider these observations
in light of the Gospel.
Today’s reading forms the first part of Jesus’ great
Discourse of the Good Shepherd in the Gospel according to John. In it, Jesus
describes the true shepherd as one who leads his sheep to verdant pastures.
Because he cares for them, the sheep follow him; indeed, they recognize his
voice and do not follow strangers. False shepherds — the strangers—try to lead
the sheep out of the fold in order to take advantage of them.
It is interesting to note that, in this passage, Jesus does
not present himself as the shepherd. He reserves that title for the second part
of the discourse. Here, Jesus describes himself as the “gate for the sheep,”
whose role is to guard the entrance. The gatekeeper allows entry to legitimate
shepherds—the apostles and their successors, the bishops, as well as priests,
the bishops chief assistants—and at the same time keeps out thieves and robbers
who seek to harm the sheep. Who are these evildoers? Jesus regards the
Pharisees, to whom he is addressing this discourse, as enemies of the flock.
They impose on the people traditions and rules that are extraneous, turning
religion into an obstacle rather than a stimulus for a living relationship with
God.
Enemies can change over time. One of the most formidable in
our own day is a false idea of freedom. For many, freedom consists simply in
the removal of restrictions. Certainly, the abolition of slavery and the
overcoming of racial discrimination have been great advances in human history.
However, removing external injustices is only part of true freedom. We must
also free ourselves from internal constraints, such as addictions to drugs and
pornography, which not only divert the will from what is truly good but also
degrade the person.
The greatest internal restriction from which we must
liberate ourselves is ignorance. We are
free from it when we learn and practice what is good, true, and loving. In
short, we must come to know and imitate God. Is not a virtuoso pianist freer to
produce beautiful music than a beginner? So it is in life: we are truly free
when we develop our abilities to reach our true goal which is life with God.
The bishops of the Church are chosen for their above average
intelligence and their fidelity to Catholic doctrine. For the most part, they
are honorable and kind men, though not perfect. Christ, the gate, has admitted
them into his fold. They repeatedly call upon legislators to safeguard
authentic freedom for all. More importantly, they promote the knowledge of God
through various programs and initiatives. We follow them—especially the
Pope—because we trust that they will not lead us astray but rather guide us to God’s
eternal pasture.
