The Fourth Sunday of Easter is often called Good Shepherd Sunday, and the image Jesus gives us is both tender and unsettling: “The sheep hear his voice… he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (John 10:3).
Jesus calls his own by name. Not by number, not by category, not by usefulness. By name. That means the Lord’s relationship with us is not generic; It is intensely very personal. He knows my story and your story. He knows my struggles and your struggles. He knows my quiet hopes and your quiet hopes. And still, He calls us!
There are many voices calling us these days but when Jesus calls, we should be able recognize his voice instantly. Not because it is the loudest voice, but because Jesus’ voice is kind, familiar, trusted, and loved. In a world full of noises, opinions, fears and distractions, the Christian life becomes, in part, the art of recognizing the Shepherd’s voice.
Jesus goes further: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). His invitation is not for a minimal life, not for a survival mode existence but that of abundance. Yet here is the tension: we often look for that abundance in places that leave us empty. We follow other “voices” that promise freedom though, they lead us to restlessness repeatedly.
The Good Shepherd does not just call us, He leads us. And where does He lead us? Ultimately, The Good Shepherd leads us to Himself.
This is where the Eucharist becomes crucial. The Shepherd we listen to is the Shepherd who feeds us. He does not merely give instructions; He gives us His very life. At the altar, the voice we hear in the Gospel becomes the Body we receive. The One who knows us by name places Himself into our hands and hearts.
So today, here is a simple question: whose voice am I following? And do I recognize the voice of the One who calls me by my name?
Because here, in the Eucharist, the Good Shepherd is not distant. He is present, speaking, feeding, and leading us into the fullness of life. Come, Follow Jesus!
Your Priest,
Father Charles Enyinnia
