This weekend is the 4th Sunday of Easter, also referred to as Good Shepherd Sunday. We get an insight into how Jesus shepherds His flock, which is the Church. Last weekend Jesus told Peter to feed His flock. Now we see how Jesus tends and cares for His people.
      This past year the old wound of clerical abuse was opened up again. We heard, yet again, about priests and bishops behaving badly. Numerous priests, including a cardinal, were shown to have abused many youth and vulnerable young adults. Likewise, it was revealed that many bishops handled these situations very poorly, to say the least. They were not following the example of Christ the Good Shepherd.
  It hurts when we see our shepherds committing faults that are so egregious. In the Old Testament prophets warned the people of bad shepherds, shepherds who were like wolves in sheep clothing, shepherds who feasted on the sheep, rather than selflessly caring for them.
  This weekend should remind us all of our true shepherd, Jesus Christ. He is ultimately the one who feeds and cares for us. Now, this doesn’t mean that we should leave the Church when we see our shepherds doing these things. To leave the Church is to abandon the flock of Christ. Jesus cannot tend us well if we leave His flock. St. Paul tell us that where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more (Rom.5:20). As bad as situations can be in the Church, in our lives, or the lives of our families, Jesus is there with us, and His grace is far more powerful.
  In our Gospel Jesus tells us that He gives us eternal life and we shall never perish. For this to happen, we first have to remain in the Church, remain in the flock of Christ. Secondly, we need to persevere through whatever trial or cross we are experiencing in the present. In order to persevere, to receive a strength greater than what we naturally possess, we need to pray, not just when we need God, but everyday. If we are not praying everyday, then things will be more difficult and more painful for us. Thirdly, we need to lovingly accept the crosses when they come. St. Rose of Lima says that the Cross is the ladder that ascends to Heaven. In other words, there is no way to escape the cross. Jesus did not come to extinguish all suffering. He came to open Heaven back up to us, and to make our suffering redemptive. Our crosses can become redemptive for ourselves, and for those for whom we offer them up.
  We know this to be true, again hearing the words from Christ in our Gospel. He says that His sheep know His voice and follow Him. Where did Christ go in His earthly life? He went to Calvary. The Good Shepherd leads His sheep to Calvary, and good shepherds here on earth teach their flock how accept their crosses.
  If we stay in the Church, which is the flock of Christ, persevere in prayer, and accept our crosses, then we will not perish, but will receive the eternal life that Jesus promises us.