The early Church portrayed Christ as a young shepherd
lovingly caring for his sheep. In today’s Gospel of John, we discover this
image once more. Christ, the Good Shepherd, is the person who lays down his
life for his flock. This contrasts with a helper who abandons the sheep,
leaving them vulnerable to the dangers at hand.

On this Fourth Sunday of Easter, we are reminded that it is
Christ, who knows each of us, and that knowing brings us a new life. He knows
us, and he knows the Father who loves us. This echoes the great command to love
God and love our neighbor.

In this context, the understanding of Christ is one that
binds us together. All those who listen to his voice are drawn in unity to that
one flock that knows the one true Shepherd. Our understanding of Christ makes
us one. We are not hired individuals.

The first reading, from Acts, also presents this concept of
understanding. Peter preaches that Jesus Christ is the keystone in our world,
as he explains. However, there is a twist. Peter wants us to know the danger,
that of rejecting Jesus Christ in our lives. As Christ knows us and loves us,
we cannot accept and refuse to acknowledge Christ in our lives.

Most of us would be horrified to think of ourselves as
rejecting Christ, of rejecting our faith. However, there are other lesser ways
in which we reject Christ as the keystone of our lives. The truth is that we
are unable to comprehend the light of Christ. In our hectic life, we often
forget all too often. We neglect to devote time to prayer, or attend a class or
retreat, or read a book or article on the Christian faith.

These are all ways to enhance our understanding of Christ
that we take for granted. Other people also assist us in identifying Christ in
our lives. Who are the people in your life that show you the face of Christ? Do
we recognize how Christ is present to us even now? It may be a parent or
grandparent that showed you the love of Christ. For many of us, our list will
include a priest, a sister, or a brother. They have all been people who
listened to the Good Shepherd and shared that voice with us in our lives. Their
vocations help us to become more aware of Christ. This Sunday, Good Shepherd
Sunday, is in many dioceses, a day designated as ‘Vocations Sunday’, God’s
calling in our lives.

Clearly, each of us, as a Christian, has a message that was
born from the font of our baptism. Unfortunately, we may take this role as a
Christian for granted. If so, we must once again hear the Shepherd’s voice calling
to us amid our daily concerns and the loud drone of all our activities.

The vocation to marriage, with its unique call to
parenthood, takes on its wealthier meaning when we, as spouse or as family,
together hear God’s words in our lives. When we engage in worship at Mass, or
at prayer in our homes, we hear the Shepherd’s call in our hearts. Today, when
the clamor of this world rejects Christ, how do people hear God’s call, that
unique sense of who I am in God’s heart?

If you hear God speaking to your heart, don’t disregard such
gentle voices. I don’t believe that God suddenly stopped calling people to a
religious vocation. Rather, today we can easily put God in the background or
flat out refuse to hear His voice.

You might be at the start of your career and still a voice speaks to you. God calls us, but we for our part, must hear his voice. Don’t

reject the cornerstone of your life, don’t refuse Christ’s calling for you. Explore
and discover if a religious activity is a part of you.

At the end of the day, listening to this message is not a
waste of time. For the early Church, the image of the youthful Christ
shepherding his flock reflected hope, let that same hope be yours. Listen to
the Shepherd’s voice speaking to you.