Brothers and Sisters, This 4th Sunday of Easter is often known as 'Good Shepherd Sunday.' Jesus often compares us to sheep, which are among the least intelligent and least strong of all animals. One amazing thing about sheep is that they can recognize the particular voice of their own shepherd. At the time of Jesus a good shepherd would, at the end of each day, take the time to stand at the gate and check each sheep for wounds as they were being herded back into the fold. If any wounds were found, the shepherd would tenderly take care of that particular sheep, cleaning the infected area. Jesus wants to take care of us in the same way He just needs us to listen to His voice, be obedient in all respects, stop acting as if we're stronger and more intelligent than we are, and come back into the fold.
