Gospel Reflection - 4th Sunday of Easter, Year A

 

As a child, there were probably about three different manners with which I could answer my parents whenever they called me: first, I could have responded with obedience; second, I could pretend to not have heard and ignore them; and third, if there were enough distractions, I could have really not heard them or been able to distinguish their voices. If I responded, it would likely be rewarding and at the very least, I would have made an act of obedience. But if I ignored or failed to hear their call, I would have lost that opportunity.

Similarly, God our Father calls us each individually, knocking at our heart in every moment. Our Lord, the Good Shepherd, desires to lead us to the Father, and breathes forth the Holy Spirit to guide us. The Blessed Trinity takes delight in the soul surrendered to love and pours forth the abundance of life within her. 

But so often, we do not love…we do not follow our Shepherd! We ignore God’s call when the life He wishes for us does not conform with the life we would have. We feign to have misheard when we follow our own will, despite knowing that our Good Shepherd would lead us down another, more glorious path. Or perhaps we can not distinguish God’s call. Perhaps our minds and hearts are so filled with preoccupations, that we cannot hear the whispers of our Father. 

When the little lamb recollects her attention, she will find that, despite her negligence, the Shepherd has not abandoned her. She will find, rather, that He has gathered her into His arms, for His astounding mercy does not permit Him to forget her. The Shepherd “calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.” In that, the flock should rejoice, as God is beyond time. His call is not limited to a moment, but echoes through eternity.