Sunday April 25, 2021 - Fourth Sunday in Paschal Time - I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep and my sheep know me - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 10, 11-18

In this Gospel, Jesus presents himself as the good shepherd. And he will give his life for his sheep, that is, for each and every one of us. So he will do it voluntarily, freely and out of love. The shepherd takes care of his sheep, cares for them and even sees beyond their pastures. Jesus cares so much about his sheep. This is the character of a good shepherd.

It is different from the attitude of the mercenary, which Jesus presents to us in this pericope. That is why he warns us against the mercenaries who do not have the good of the sheep at heart. Because the mercenary does his job out of interest, not out of love. So if he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away; the wolf grabs them and scatters them. He does not have the spirit of sacrifice. He does not dare to offer his life for the sheep, because in him he does not have good for the sheep.

But here Jesus recommends us to be good shepherds. We must be ready to offer our lives for all those around us through our way of living, of behaving, through our work of charity. The fact of making charity reign never demands our own self-interest. We will do it for the good of others. So, let's not be like mercenaries in accomplishing our mission, mercenaries are only looking for their interests. But we do our mission for the salvation of all. As Jesus did voluntarily, freely and out of love.