Fourth Sunday of Easter

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Good Shepherd Sunday 

April 26, 2026

Acts 2:14a.36-41;    1 Peter 2:20b-25;    John 10:1-10

(image courtesy: Google)

A young shepherd once lived in a rugged hillside village. Every morning he would lead his sheep out into the open fields calling each one gently by name. One day a fierce storm swept through the valley. Thunder roared lightning split the sky and the frightened sheep scattered in every direction. The villagers urged the young shepherd to wait until the storm passed but he refused. He stepped into the raging wind and rain calling out to his sheep one by one. Hours passed and slowly from different corners of the hillside the sheep began to return drawn not by force but by the familiar voice they trusted. By nightfall every single sheep had come back. Exhausted and drenched the shepherd sat among them knowing that his voice had guided them home.

Today on this Fourth Sunday of Easter the Church invites us to reflect on the image of the Good Shepherd. In the Gospel of John Jesus declares I am the gate for the sheep I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. This image is not simply poetic. It reveals the heart of Christ. He is not distant. He is not indifferent. He knows he calls he leads and above all he gives life.

In the first reading from Acts Peter stands before the people and proclaims the risen Christ with conviction. His words pierce their hearts and they ask What are we to do. Peter’s response is clear. Repent and be baptized. Turn back. Listen to the voice of the Shepherd. Three thousand people respond that day. They recognize the voice of truth and choose to follow it.

In the second reading St Peter reminds us that Christ suffered for us leaving us an example to follow. He bore our sins in his body upon the cross so that we might live for righteousness. He is the shepherd and guardian of our souls. This is not a shepherd who merely watches from afar. This is a shepherd who walks with us suffers with us and redeems us.

The image of the Good Shepherd speaks deeply to the realities of our lives today. We live in a world filled with many voices. Voices that promise success pleasure power and security. Yet many of these voices lead to confusion emptiness and fear. In such a world the challenge is to recognize the voice of Christ and to follow it with trust.

The first life message is about listening. The sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd because they are familiar with it. They have heard it again and again. In the same way we are called to become familiar with the voice of Christ. This happens through prayer through reading the Word of God through silence and through the sacraments. When we do not take time to listen other voices begin to dominate our hearts. Anxiety fear anger and worldly desires grow louder. But when we cultivate a relationship with Christ his voice becomes clear. It becomes a voice of peace guidance and truth. Listening is not passive. It requires attention and openness. It requires a willingness to be led. The question we must ask ourselves is simple. Whose voice am I listening to each day of my life.

The second life message is about trust. The sheep follow the shepherd not because they understand everything but because they trust him. There are moments in our lives when the path is unclear. There are times when we face suffering loss and uncertainty. In such moments trust becomes difficult. We want control. We want immediate answers. Yet the Good Shepherd does not always reveal the entire path. He asks us to take one step at a time trusting that he is leading us toward life. Trust means believing that even in suffering he is present. It means believing that his plans are greater than our fears. Trust is not blind. It is rooted in the knowledge of who Christ is. He is the one who laid down his life for us. He is the one who rose again. If he has given us everything will he not also guide us through every storm.

The third life message is about becoming shepherds for others. The image of the Good Shepherd is not only about Christ. It is also a call to each one of us. In our families in our communities in our workplaces we are called to reflect the love of the Shepherd. To care to guide to protect and to serve. There are people around us who feel lost abandoned or unheard. Sometimes they do not need great solutions. They need a voice that calls them with love. They need someone who listens who understands and who walks with them. To be a shepherd means to go out of ourselves. It means to take responsibility for others. It means to love without expecting anything in return. This is not easy. It requires sacrifice. But it is in giving that we truly experience the abundant life that Christ promises.

As we reflect on this Good Shepherd Sunday, we are reminded that Jesus is not a distant figure of the past. He is present. He is calling each one of us by name. He knows our struggles, our fears, and our hopes. He does not force us. He invites us. He stands at the gate and opens the way to life.

In a world that often feels like a storm where many are scattered and searching, the voice of the Good Shepherd continues to echo. It is a voice that does not condemn but calls. A voice that does not confuse but clarifies. A voice that does not abandon but gathers.

At the beginning, we heard of a shepherd who stepped into the storm, calling each of his sheep until all were safely gathered. That same love is revealed in Christ. He steps into the storms of our lives. He calls us when we are lost. He searches for us when we wander. And he rejoices when we return.

The invitation today is simple yet profound. Listen to his voice. Trust in his guidance. And become a reflection of his love in the lives of others. For it is only in following the Good Shepherd that we find not just direction but life in its fullness.

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, the Church also invites us to pray earnestly for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. The Good Shepherd continues his mission through those whom he calls to serve his people. Just as the sheep recognize the voice of the shepherd the Lord still calls young men and women by name inviting them to follow him with courage and generosity. In a world filled with many competing voices this call can often be drowned out or ignored. 

Therefore, our prayer becomes essential that hearts may be open to listen and respond. When we pray for vocations, we ask that the voice of Christ be heard clearly and that there be shepherds who will guide, teach, and care for his flock with love. At the same time, we must encourage and support those who are discerning their call, helping them to trust in the Shepherd who leads them. In this way, the theme of today becomes alive among us, for as we listen to his voice and follow him, we also help others to hear that same voice and to become shepherds for the Church.

Happy Sunday 

Third Sunday of Easter

Third Sunday of Easter April 19, 2026

Acts 2:14a.22-23;    1 Peter 1:17-21;    Luke 24:13-35

(Image courtesy: Google)

The Catalina Island is twenty-one miles away from the coast of California, and many people have taken the challenge to swim across it.   On July 4th 1952, Florence Chadwick stepped into the water off Catalina Island to swim across to the California coast. She started well and on course, but later fatigue set in, and the weather became cold.  She persisted, but fifteen hours later, numb and cold, she asked to be taken out of the water. After she recovered, she was told that she had been pulled out only half a mile away from the coast. She commented that she could have made it, if the fog had not affected her vision and she would have just seen the land. She promised that this would be the only time that she would ever quit.  She went back to her rigorous training. And two months later she swam that same channel. The same thing happened. The fatigue set in, and the fog obscured her view, but this time she swam with faith and vision of the land in her mind. She knew that somewhere behind the fog was land. When you set your goal, keep pressing on even when you are tired, physically and mentally, and even though there are many challenges ahead.

This story becomes a powerful lens through which we understand today’s Gospel from Luke, the journey of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They, too, are walking through a kind of fog. The fog of disappointment, confusion, and shattered hope. They had believed in Jesus. They had trusted Him as the one who would redeem Israel. But now He had been crucified. Everything seemed lost. Their dreams collapsed. Their faith shaken. Like Florence in the water, they were exhausted, not physically but spiritually. And, more than anything, they could no longer see clearly.

As they walk, Jesus Himself comes near and walks with them, yet they do not recognize Him. This is the tragedy of their condition. The Risen Lord is beside them, but the fog within them blinds their vision. They speak of Him as a past hope, not a present reality. They recount the events, but they do not yet understand the meaning. Only when Jesus breaks the bread do their eyes open, and suddenly the fog lifts. They see. They understand. They recognize that He was with them all along.

This is where the story of Florence Chadwick and the Gospel meet. The difference between giving up and reaching the shore lies in vision. When she could not see the land, she lost hope. When she held the vision of the land within her, she found the strength to continue. In the same way, the disciples failed not because Jesus was absent, but because they could not see Him. Once their inner vision was restored, everything changed.

The first message for our lives is this. Faith is the ability to see even when the fog surrounds us. Life often places us in situations where clarity is lost. There are moments of suffering, confusion, and unanswered questions. We face personal struggles, family tensions, disappointments, and even larger realities such as war, injustice, and societal uncertainty. In such moments, it is easy to feel that God is absent. Yet the Gospel reminds us that the Risen Christ walks with us even when we do not recognize Him. Faith is not about always having clear answers. It is about holding on to the conviction that God is present even when He is unseen. Like Florence, we must carry the vision of the shore within us. That shore is Christ, our hope, our destination, our fulfilment.

The second message is this. The Word of God has the power to clear the fog of our hearts. On the road to Emmaus, Jesus begins to explain the Scriptures to the disciples. He opens their minds to understand that suffering was not the end, but part of God’s plan of salvation. Their hearts begin to burn within them. This is a beautiful expression. The transformation begins not with sight, but with listening. When we immerse ourselves in God’s Word, it gradually restores clarity to our lives. Many times we search for God in extraordinary signs, yet He speaks to us quietly through Scripture. If we neglect the Word, we remain in confusion. If we listen deeply, the fog begins to lift. The disciples did not recognize Jesus immediately, but their hearts were already being prepared through His Word. In our own lives, when we feel lost, returning to Scripture can rekindle hope and direction.

The third message is this. The breaking of the bread reveals Christ and transforms us into witnesses. It is at the table, in the breaking of bread, that the disciples finally recognize Jesus. The Eucharist becomes the moment of revelation. What was hidden becomes visible. What was confusing becomes clear. And once they recognize Him, they do not remain where they are. They immediately return to Jerusalem to share the good news. An encounter with the Risen Christ always leads to mission. We cannot truly experience Him and remain unchanged. Every Eucharist is an invitation to see beyond the fog, to recognize Christ in our midst, and to carry that recognition into the world. In a world filled with despair, division, and suffering, we are called to be witnesses of hope.

Today’s readings from Acts and the letter of Peter strengthen this message. Peter stands before the people and boldly proclaims that Jesus, who was crucified, has been raised by God. This is not a distant idea but a living reality. Peter himself had once been afraid, confused, and lost, but his encounter with the Risen Lord transformed him into a fearless witness. Similarly, Peter reminds us that our faith and hope are set on God who raised Jesus from the dead. This hope is not fragile or temporary. It is rooted in Christ's victory over sin and death.

As we reflect on this, we return to the image of Florence Chadwick swimming through the fog. The difference between her first and second attempt was not the absence of difficulty. The cold water was still there. The exhaustion was still real. The fog still surrounded her. The difference was the vision she carried within her. In the same way, our lives will not be free from struggles. The fog will come. There will be moments when we cannot see clearly, when we feel like giving up. But if we hold firmly to the vision of Christ, if we remember that He walks with us, speaks to us and reveals Himself to us, then we will find the strength to continue.

The disciples on the road to Emmaus moved from despair to hope, from blindness to vision, from walking away to returning with joy. Their journey is our journey. The Risen Christ meets us where we are, walks with us in our confusion, speaks to our hearts through His Word and reveals Himself in the breaking of bread.

And so, when the fog of life surrounds us, when we feel tired and ready to give up, let us remember this. The shore is closer than we think. Christ is nearer than we feel. If we keep our eyes fixed on Him, even when we cannot see Him, we will reach the shore.

Happy Sunday