May 9, 2025 5 min read

Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year B) – 11th May 2025

Quick Glance Summary

Theme: The Good Shepherd calls, protects, and gives eternal life.
Key Message: Christ is the Shepherd who knows us intimately and offers eternal safety in the Father’s hand.
First Reading (Acts 13:14, 43–52): Paul and Barnabas preach the Gospel boldly, facing rejection from some but bringing joy and conversion to others.
Psalm (100:1–2, 3, 5): A jubilant call to worship the Lord with gladness, acknowledging His faithfulness and enduring love.
Second Reading (Revelation 7:9, 14b–17): A vision of the redeemed in white robes, shepherded by the Lamb who leads them to living waters.
Gospel (John 10:27–30): Jesus declares that His sheep hear His voice, they follow Him, and no one can snatch them from His Father’s hand.

Gospel Reading

Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year B) – 11th May 2025 Gospel: John 10:27–30

“My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Gospel Overview

This brief but profound Gospel passage comes from the Good Shepherd discourse in John 10. Jesus highlights the intimate bond between Himself and His followers—He knows His sheep, and they respond to His voice. His promise of eternal life and divine protection underscores the unity between the Son and the Father. It is a message of security, fidelity, and divine oneness.

Connecting the Gospel to Today

The Fourth Sunday of Easter—Good Shepherd Sunday—enlarges our sense of what Resurrection means. Yes, it is about the Empty Tomb (as in Easter Sunday). Yes, it was about his Appearances to the disciples (as in Divine Mercy Sunday). Yes, the Risen Jesus is particularly with us through the shared meal (as in the Third Sunday of Easter).

This weekend (the Fourth Sunday of Easter) the focus is on the Risen Jesus as the one who shepherds us now - personally, relationally, and eternally. The Resurrection of Jesus involves something that happened to him; it is also involves something that happens to us (and to all humanity) as a result. We are inwardly connected to him. The Risen Jesus is with us; he is within us. The call of this Sunday’s Gospel is to attend to this shepherd’s voice. He draws us to him. We are invited to get to know and recognise his voice in Scripture, in prayer, and in conscience. (This is the ’small, still voice’ that is spoken of elsewhere in the Bible, particularly in the story of the prophet Elijah.)

The risen Christ is presented as permanently relational—one who calls us by name, who cannot lose us. There is security in the Good Shepherd: in a world full of anxiety and uncertainty, Jesus offers a voice that knows us and keeps us. “No one can steal them from me.” In the Second Reading, we hear of the shepherd who suffers with and for the sheep: the image of the Lamb who is Shepherd brings tenderness to the theme: Jesus leads not from above, but from within our pain.

Reflection Questions with Responses

Who or what groups might find these readings especially helpful?
- Those experiencing rejection or exclusion (e.g., Paul and Barnabas’ story resonates with anyone who has faced pushback for doing good).
- Families and carers might see comfort in the Gospel’s assurance that loved ones are never out of God’s hands.
- Young people discerning their path can hear the invitation to listen for Christ’s voice amidst the many choices they face.
- The elderly and terminally ill may find deep peace in the promise of eternal life and the image of the Lamb wiping away every tear.
What human weaknesses do they address, and what virtues do they aim to strengthen?
- Weaknesses: fear of abandonment, rejection, self-doubt, and anxiety about salvation.
- Virtues: trust in divine providence, perseverance in mission (as seen in Acts), and a deepening of joyful praise (Psalm 100). These readings cultivate a spirituality of secure surrender.
What is the feeling tone of each reading?
- Acts: Resilient and courageous, marked by tension but ending in joy.
- Psalm: Jubilant and exuberant—a song of celebration.
- Revelation: Majestic and hopeful—a vision of heavenly peace.
- Gospel: Calm, reassuring, and deeply intimate.
Which saints or well-known figures exemplify the message of each reading?
- St. Paul (obviously in Acts) for bold evangelisation despite opposition.
- St. Teresa of Calcutta, who recognised Christ’s voice in the poor.
- St. Damien of Molokai, whose care for the marginalised mirrored the shepherd’s love.
- Pope Benedict XVI, often spoke of the intimate voice of Christ calling each person by name.
What works of art, poems, or pieces of music provide insight into the message?
- Painting: The Good Shepherd by Bernhard Plockhorst – evokes Jesus’ protective love.
- Music: Shepherd Me, O God by Marty Haugen – a gentle musical interpretation of Psalm 23.
- Poem: The Hound of Heaven by Francis Thompson – a poetic portrayal of God’s pursuing love.
Where has the message of these readings been true in my life or those close to me, and is there a story I can share about that?
- A parishioner once shared how, during a long illness, she would repeat “No one can snatch me out of His hand” as a daily prayer. It sustained her through fear and reminded her she was held in divine care. That quiet confidence mirrored the faith of the early Christians in Acts, and the heavenly vision of Revelation. Perhaps, Father, there is a similar story from your pastoral ministry that could gently affirm this truth.

Full Texts of the Readings

First Reading: Acts 13:14, 43–52 (Jerusalem Bible) Paul and Barnabas carried on from Perga till they reached Antioch in Pisidia. Here they went to synagogue on the sabbath and took their seats. When the meeting broke up, many Jews and devout converts joined Paul and Barnabas, and in their talks with them Paul and Barnabas urged them to remain faithful to the grace God had given them. The next sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of God. When they saw the crowds, the Jews, prompted by jealousy, used blasphemies and contradicted everything Paul said. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, ‘We had to proclaim the word of God to you first, but since you have rejected it, since you do not think yourselves worthy of eternal life, we must turn to the pagans. For this is what the Lord commanded us to do when he said: I have made you a light for the nations, so that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth.’ It made the pagans very happy to hear this and they thanked the Lord for his message; all who were destined for eternal life became believers. Thus the word of the Lord spread through the whole countryside. But the Jews worked upon some of the devout women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city and persuaded them to turn against Paul and Barnabas and expel them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in defiance and went off to Iconium; but the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Second Reading: Revelation 7:9, 14b–17 (Jerusalem Bible) I, John, saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language; they were standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palms in their hands. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘These are the people who have been through the great persecution, and because they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb, they now stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his sanctuary; and the One who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. They will never hunger or thirst again; neither the sun nor scorching wind will ever plague them, because the Lamb who is at the throne will be their shepherd and will lead them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.’