Fourth Sunday in Easter B

The speaker expresses joy in sharing the gospel and emphasizes the continued celebration of Easter. They encourage listeners to encounter Jesus through prayerful reflection on scriptures and yield their spirits to the gospel. The passage from John's gospel is read, highlighting Jesus as the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. The speaker reflects on the depth of intimacy and love that Jesus has for his followers. They emphasize the freedom and liberation that comes from God's love. The audience is encouraged to meditate on the passage and allow the Spirit to speak to them. The speaker shares a personal experience of Jesus' faithfulness and encourages listeners to talk to Jesus and deepen their connection with him. The speech concludes with a reminder to internalize the word and allow it to grow throughout the week. Greetings friends. What a joy to share the gospel. Christ is risen. Truly He is risen. Happy Easter everybody. I wonder, does it surprise you, strike you as a little strange that here we are weeks after Easter Sunday, but we continue to rejoice in that great feast? Yes, I can and you can still greet others after all this time with Happy Easter. So let's prepare ourselves to encounter Jesus, the living, risen Lord Jesus mediated to us through prayerful reflection on the scriptures. Let's take a moment to intentionally yield our spirits to the gospel by quieting our inner selves. If you will take a deep breath slowly in and slowly out. Come Lord Jesus, allow your Holy Spirit to bring your word to life in me. May I hear your voice, good shepherd. The ancient prayer of Lectio Divina invites us, first of all, simply to read a passage from scripture. By reading, we spend time with Jesus in order to grow an awareness of his presence with us. In reading, we begin to grow in familiarity with the word so as to open ourselves increasingly to what is beyond the word, to the movement of the Holy Spirit carried on the words of the gospel. On this fourth Sunday of Easter, we read from John's gospel, chapter 10, verses 11 through 18. Jesus said, I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine, and mine know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father, and I will lay down my life for my sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father. With this gospel we just shared, an important advance, you might say, is made in our celebration of the mystery of Easter. For three weeks, our gospels have turned our minds and hearts to the resurrection narratives, contemplating in them the faithful love of the Father who reaches into death our gospels have turned our minds and hearts to the resurrection narratives, contemplating in them the faithful love of the Father who reaches into death to bring his Son to life. Now our gospel invites us to reflect on what it is to live in this mystery, to abide and grow in the presence of the risen Lord. Notice, first off, the depth of intimacy into which the Easter reality invites us. The Good Shepherd gives his life in total love and faithfulness to us. Friends, pause, breathe in this commitment of love that Jesus has for you. He is a Good Shepherd who will always lay down his life for you. Jesus has your back. And still further, he assures us that he knows us and we know him. Listen again to these words of our Lord, This is the love relationship we have been initiated into. We share in the love of the Father and the Son, which has existed for all eternity. A love so deep, so abiding, so tender, as to form from the two one communion of divinity of eternal love. Note, too, what this love of God in Jesus accomplishes. Jesus, turning to his death on the cross, assures us, No one takes life from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down and power to take it up again. You see, friends, the love of the Father for us, as for Jesus, is a love that frees us, liberates us for joyful generosity. We are freed by God's love to live as we were created to live in generous, self-giving love. Let us turn now again for a second time to read our gospel passage. Notice as we do what stands out to you. Be sensitive to the word or phrase or what moves your imagination. In this word that moves within you, Jesus is manifesting himself as the good shepherd whose voice we hear and know. We read John chapter 10, verses 11 through 18. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD Jesus said, I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD, and I know mine, and mine know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father, and I will lay down my life for my sheep. I HAVE OTHER SHEEP THAT DO NOT BELONG TO THIS FOLD, THESE ALSO I MUST LEAD, AND THEY WILL HEAR MY VOICE, AND THERE WILL BE ONE FLOCK, ONE SHEPHERD. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father. This brings us now to the second step of Lectio Divina, which is, after reading, meditation. In meditating, we pause before the Word, surrendering to that movement of the Spirit carried on the Word. Be curious now about what is touching you in this passage. Be curious now about what is touching you in this passage, and give yourself over to it. What is speaking to you at this moment? I am personally overwhelmed by this often-repeated phrase in our Gospel, I lay down my life for my sheep. Four times Jesus repeats, I lay my life down. After the first time he makes this solemn pledge, he continues to lay down his life for his sheep. After the first time he makes this solemn pledge, he contrasts his way of being with that of a hired man. The hired man abandons the sheep at the first sign of trouble. This touches me so deeply, I suppose, because I have experienced, I wonder how many of you have experienced it too, that is, what it is to be abandoned by those I thought I could count on. I have also experienced, though, in those moments of greatest trouble in my life, having fallen in the deepest of pits, tangled in the worst of snares, when so many were fleeing away from me, how Jesus, the Good Shepherd, remained faithful to me. Jesus, manifestly so, drew even closer in that moment and wrapped me in his arms of protection, mercy, and healing. Oh friends, I wish I could put into your heart and into your mind the experience I have known in being cared for in the midst of dark moments. Jesus, indeed, is the Good Shepherd, and he knows me, and yes, I know him. I can count on him. Friends, please remain with this gospel passage a bit longer. Hear the voice of the Good Shepherd speaking to you even now through these precious words of the gospel. Talk to Jesus, because he hears your voice as well, about how you hear his voice speaking to you now. Before leading prayer, be sure to intentionally place the word you have received deep in your spirit, where the Lord might bring it growth throughout this week ahead. Deep in your spirit, where the Lord might bring it growth throughout this week ahead. And friends, it is a joy to share the gospel with you. Happy Easter.