Fr. Jorge Miró shares with Exaudi readers his commentary on the Gospel of this Sunday, May 11, 2025, entitled “Jesus approaches, takes the bread, and gives it to them!”

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The Fourth Sunday of Easter is the Sunday of the Good Shepherd: Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep, who gives his life for them, who knows them and is known by them. We sang it in the Alleluia: I am the Good Shepherd, I know my sheep, and mine know me. We also sang in the Psalm: Know that the Lord is God: that he made us, and we are his, his people and the sheep of his pasture.

God did not create you for solitude but for relationship, for communion, for self-giving. Therefore, we cannot live the faith in a solitary and individualistic way. Today’s Word invites you to discover and live that, through baptism, you are part of the people of God.

This people who already share in the victory of Jesus Christ, as the second reading shows us: a great multitude…, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes and with palm branches in their hands.

A people of sinners always in the process of conversion; a people called to persevere faithful to the grace of God.

A people who live from the victory of their Lord. How? First, by proclaiming Him as Lord, the only Lord; He is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus Christ is the cornerstone; no one else can save.

Then, by allowing themselves to be guided by their Shepherd: He who sits on the throne will encamp among them… and will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water.

Listening to His Word: my sheep listen to my voice… with meekness, with docility, with trust, obeying the Shepherd. Without listening to the voice of strangers…

Taking up the cross and following the Lamb: these are those who come out of great tribulation, they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Living in trust and experiencing His consolation: no one will snatch them from my hand… God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Singing the new song, the song of the redeemed: praise, blessing: For this reason they are before the throne of God, giving him worship day and night in his temple… Acclaim the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness, enter his presence with singing. And with their eyes fixed on the goal: heaven, eternal life: And I give them eternal life.

And the Church is called to carry forward this mission of Christ. And she does so by participating in Christ’s pastoral mission, through the diverse vocations and charisms.

Therefore, today we pray especially for the Church. We must also ask the Lord to give us shepherds after his heart, to raise up among us young people willing to follow him unconditionally.

We must also ask ourselves today how we are living our pastoral mission, those of us who have some responsibility for others: priests, parents, godparents, teachers, catechists, public servants, educators…

We must not forget that the vocation to Christian marriage is also a missionary vocation.

How is your relationship with Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd? Do you hear his voice? Do you truly want to follow him? Take heart! Even if you are far away, the Shepherd loves you, waits for you, seeks you… Allow yourself to be found and follow him! It is worth it! Dare! The Good Shepherd, who loves you more than anyone, wants the best for you.

Happy Sunday! Happy Eucharist!

Come, Holy Spirit!