Fourth Sunday of Easter

April 26, 2026

Acts 4:8-12; John 10: 11-1

In today’s gospel, Jesus proclaims that he is the good shepherd, who lays down his life for his sheep. He is not the unworthy shepherd who is a hired hand and has not real love or care for his sheep, and certainly would not put his life in danger to protect them. Jesus does not work for pay, but rather is the shepherd who has been entrusted with the sheep by his Father and loves them to the point of death. Just as the Father love this shepherd, so does the Father love his Son’s sheep. And Jesus loves them to the point of death, but he also rose from death to give them life as out Communion antiphons says, “The Good Shepherd is risen, who laid down his life for his sheep and willingly died for his sheep;” he did this so that they could have eternal life.

But as is pointed out in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, not all see the shepherd, Jesus, this way. Peter with John has just cured a man crippled from birth and have been brought into the Jewish council for questioning. They are clear to say that the power to cure did not come from themselves, but from Jesus Christ, whom the people and their leaders whom they “crucified, whom God raised from he dead.” And they proclaim that “He is the stone rejected by the builders, which has become the cornerstone,” quoting Psalm 118, our responsorial psalm.

How could a stone be used after the builders had decided it would not work? We know from stone masons and builders what the answer is. The builder decides which stones will work in terms of size, color, and placement. But if a builder has rejected a certain stone, the stonemason can help the builder to reassess that decision. The decision to use something previously rejected may come about because the stone’s particular shape or color will offer the building a unique strength and or beauty beyond what is typical.

A Shepherd, a Stone, these are the images of Jesus presented to us in today’s gospel. Those images do not seem to share much in common; a shepherd is a living being, a stone an inanimate object. The shepherd, though, is steadfast, like a stone, solid and dependable. He will not desert his sheep; no, not even one of them. Jesus tells that he is the faithful shepherd, and he asks us to become like him, both a shepherd and a living stone. A stone reshaped into his image, that of a good shepherd. Who does not desert his sheep.

A soldier dying on a Korean battlefield asked for a priest. The Medic could not find one. A wounded man lying nearby heard the request and said, “I am a priest.” The Medic turned to the speaker and saw his condition, which was as bad as that of the other. “It will kill you if you move,” he warned. But the wounded chaplain replied. “The life of a man’s soul is worth more than a few hours of my life.” He then crawled to the dying soldier, heard his confession, gave him absolution and the two died, hand in hand. 

Charismatic and powerful, Jesus embodied a new way of relating to God and to others beyond what people had ever seen. But, this was rejected by those who wanted ‘business as usual’ religion. Jesus was reassessed by anyone who sought the beautiful life Jesus promised: personal nearness to God and compassionate love for others. He became the cornerstone that could hold a life and community together, the shepherd who would not leave his sheep, no, not even one.

We too, too, are called to be that shepherd, that living cornerstone cornerstone who does not fail those around us.

Fr. John Tran