Pope Francis (1936-2025)

Shepherds Like Jesus

Each year this Fourth Sunday of Easter celebrates Jesus the Good Shepherd. Today’s Gospel seems especially timely, for as Christians worldwide suffer persecution like Paul and Barnabas, Jesus promises his sheep enduring, invincible safety: “They shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand.” But we who are free to live our faith peacefully sometimes take our membership in Jesus’ flock for granted, wandering astray to seek our own pleasure and prosperity.

The simple cross that Pope Francis always wore seemed to show us how Jesus responds to that. Remember, Francis’s cross features an image of Jesus, who has sought and found a lost sheep, then joyfully set it on his shoulders to carry it gently home. May Good Shepherd Sunday inspire us, so often lost and found ourselves, to assist Jesus in seeking, finding, and gently carrying home our fellow precious lambs.