Today’s Scripture Readings

Gospel Reading

NRSV

‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason 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 of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.’

One flock and one shepherd in today’s war-torn world, seems like dreaming the impossible dream. But as hope remains a core Christian characteristic, we can trust that peace and unity today may be no more unlikely than Christ’s Resurrection would have been in His time.

The voice of the Good Shepherd can be heard not only in the daily Mass readings, but in the quiet and encouraging whisper of the Holy Spirit urging us into action. Our mission isn’t difficult to see. The Good Shepherd needs our help to welcome and include those from difficult and distant terrains so that they too may hear His voice and enter the safety of His sheepfold.

Pope Leo XIV’s current weekly Wednesday Catechesis is unpacking “Lumen Gentium”, the profoundly rich but still largely unknown document of the Second Vatican Council. He insightfully seeks to reveal and foster its treasures: the common dignity of all the baptized and the mission of the laity, recognising that together having one faith, one Lord and one common mission, we will become the one people of God.

How committed are we in our endeavour to be followers of the Good Shepherd: striving to uphold the truth, acting with sincerity of heart, listening deeply and suffering for the cause of justice so that sheep who do not yet belong to His fold, may be led there?