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