The Homily of the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A: 2026

In this gospel of John 10, Jesus identified himself “the gate” twice; “I am the gate for the sheep.” How do we understand this figure of speech: I am the gate? There was a tourist who came to Palestine and met a shepherd at a sheep farm. The shepherd showed the tourist the beauty of his farm. Then the tourist asked: “there is a sheep farm. There is a sheep flock. There is an entrance, but where is the gate? The shepherd asked: the gate? I am the gate, he said. At night, I lie at the entrance way. No sheep or wolf goes in or out without going through me.

Jesus revealed to us about his identity when he said: “whoever enters through me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.” So, the truth is: the only way of being saved is to enter through Him, no one else. What does it mean to enter through him? It means we must believe in him, accept his teaching and follow in his footsteps. Saint Peter said in the second reading: “…because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.”

Many Catholics and Christians are misled these days I believe. There are many Christians say: we believe in Jesus, but we don’t need the Church. How wrong is this idea? The Church is the Mystical Body of Jesus; Jesus is the head of the Church. If we say we don’t want to belong to his Church. That means we are wandering in wrong directions. Jesus also said: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. If anyone tells us whatever contradicts the gospel, he is a thief, not a shepherd. Don’t follow him.

Dear friends in Christ, this Sunday is the World Day of Prayers for Vocation.

We with the Church pray for our seminarians and pray for young men and women to find their vocation. The Church more than ever needs more priests who follow Jesus the Chief Shepherd. Jesus told his disciples to pray to the Master of the harvest to send more workers for his vineyard. The key to having more priests and religious men and women is to pray. When we know someone discerning for priesthood or religious life, we must pray and support him or her. Our parish does not have many young men and women to discern for the priesthood and religious life, but if we give up and don’t pray for vocation, we have no chance. Praying for vocation is the last resource we can offer for our Church. There is a close connection between motherhood and priesthood. Saint Pius X said: “Every vocation to the priesthood comes from the heart of God, but it passed through the heart of a mother.”

Dear mothers, you must continue to pray for your single children and grandchildren to find their vocations, especially vocation for priesthood and religious life. You must teach your children how to love Jesus and follow him in this life. To have a love for Jesus, we cannot ignore his Blessed Mother. The Blessed Mother knows her Son best. She will never mislead us. I believe that without devotion to the Blessed Mother, people will not have strong love for her Son Jesus. Finally, we do not forget to pray for all priests, especially those who are struggling in following Jesus Christ.