Acts 13.14,43-52 | Revelation 7.9,14b-17 | John 10.27-30

Habemus papam! We welcome with love and affection the new Successor of Peter, the Vicar of Christ on earth, the American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who chose Leo XIV as his name. We thank the Holy Spirit who enlightened our cardinals in fulfilling the noble task of electing the new Pope.

We are on the fourth Sunday of Easter, called Good Shepherd Sunday. Easter is this liturgical season characterized by the joyful encounter with the resurrected Jesus and the courageous testimony of His victory over death.

This is the second Sunday of the month of May, dedicated to our beloved mothers. May God bless the living mothers and grant eternal rest to the deceased mothers.

Today the evangelist John speaks to us about Jesus, the Shepherd who gives eternal life to His sheep, and about His identification with the Father.

There were many sheep and shepherds in Israel. They led the sheep out of the fold to graze on the grass and drink water, protecting them from wolves, and then brought them back safely to the fold.

In the Old Testament, the image of the shepherd and the sheep was already associated with God’s care for His people. The Lord was the Shepherd and Israel was His flock.

In the Gospel, Jesus compared His disciples to the sheep that belonged to the Father. He stated that the sheep were given to Him by the Father, that He knew them and that they listened to His voice and followed Him. Jesus said that no one would snatch the sheep out of His hand, that He would give them eternal life and that they would never be lost. Finally, He said that the Father was greater than all and that He and the Father were one.

Let us interpret this passage of the Gospel in the light of Easter Season. The risen Jesus is the Good Shepherd who literally gave His life for His sheep. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus gave His disciples eternal life.

The Father made us and we belong to Him. Being one with the Son, the Father gave us to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, so that He would feed us, free us from evil and lead us safely to the fold of Heaven.

In this Easter Season, let us listen to the voice of the risen Jesus and follow Him. He knows us and wants what is best for us. He satisfies our hunger and thirst with His Body and Blood, the Eucharist, the food of eternal life, so that we may live united in joy, as a sign of the unity between the Father and the Son. Let us be a Church that cares with care for the most suffering people, whom the Good Shepherd wishes to feed through us.

Today, the evangelist Luke tells us in the Acts of the Apostles about the courage of Paul and Barnabas in the face of persecution by the Jews in Antioch. In the synagogue on Sabbath, the apostles insisted that the Jews and converts remain faithful to the Grace of God. However, out of envy and blasphemy, the Jews organized to expel Paul and Barnabas from Antioch. Following the Lord's command, they then went to the pagans to proclaim the Word of God to them, who were very happy and embraced the faith.

Let us listen to the voice of the risen Jesus, like the apostles Paul and Barnabas, and proclaim the Word of God to everyone, filled with joy and the Holy Spirit, encouraging fidelity to the Grace of God, turning away from the envious and blasphemers.

Today, the evangelist John tells us in the book of Revelation of the immense multitude that overcame the great tribulation and that would be led by the Shepherd to the springs of the water of life. The evangelist, transported by the Holy Spirit, had this mystical vision, in which people from all nations, tribes, peoples and languages, dressed in white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. The multitude stood before the throne of God and worshipped Him, day and night, in His temple. The multitude would never again hunger or thirst.

God offers eternal salvation to each and every one. There are many people going through great tribulations, with tears in their eyes. Let us proclaim the Shepherd, let us speak of the Lamb who was slain, so that everyone may have the opportunity to belong to that immense multitude of those who receive eternal life from the risen Jesus, offering an endless cult of adoration.

May Jesus the Good Shepherd bless Pope Leo XIV at the beginning of his pontificate.

Local: Praia Grande - SP, Brasil

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