“The Fourth Sunday of Easter is known as Good Shepherd Sunday. In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a beautiful image: He says: “I am the Good Shepherd”, “I am the gate.”

We are God’s flock.

Like sheep, we are not always strong. We can easily be misled, easily distracted, easily pulled in the wrong direction.

Isn’t that true today?

Many people are not lost because they are bad. They are lost because they are confused, distracted, and overwhelmed.

We listen to so many voices: social media, friends, trends, opinions.

And slowly, without noticing it, we begin to drift away from the voice of the Shepherd.

Jesus says: “I am the Shepherd.”

A true shepherd knows his sheep, calls them by name, and leads them to safety.

But He also warns us: there are wolves.

And today, the wolves are not always obvious. They do not always look dangerous. Sometimes, they even look attractive, modern, and acceptable.

Let me name a few “wolves” in our time:

The wolf of materialism. The belief that money, success, and comfort are everything. Slowly, God is forgotten because life becomes all about earning, buying, achieving.

The wolf of busyness. Being so occupied with work, gadgets, and activities that we no longer have time for prayer, for family, for God. Not because we reject God—but because we are too distracted.

The wolf of false truth. Misinformation, fake news, and distorted teachings online. Not everything we hear is true. Not every voice leads to God.

The wolf of moral compromise. “Okay lang na,” “Everybody is doing it.” Dishonesty, corruption, impurity—slowly becoming normal.

The wolf of digital addiction. Hours and hours on screens, but very little time for silence, reflection, and real relationships.

The wolf of hopelessness. “Wala na’y paglaum… nothing will change.” This is dangerous, because once hope dies, faith weakens.

And even the wolf of isolation. When a person withdraws, carries burdens alone, and stops listening to God and to others.

My dear friends, these wolves do not attack all at once. They come slowly, quietly, and subtly. And before we know it, we are already far from the Shepherd.

That is why Jesus says: “Stay with me.” Because the closer we are to Jesus, the clearer His voice becomes. And when we know His voice, we will not easily follow strangers.

How do we stay close? Through daily prayer, through listening to His Word, through receiving Him in the Eucharist, and through a life of goodness and truth.

Jesus also says: “I am the gate.”

In those days, the shepherd himself would stand at the entrance of the sheepfold. No one could enter without passing through him.

Meaning: “No wolf can reach you, unless it passes through Me.”

What a beautiful image. Jesus is not only our guide; He is our protection. If we remain in Him, we are safe. If we live apart from Him, we become vulnerable.

So today, the message is simple: Stay with the Shepherd. Stay close to Jesus. Learn to recognize His voice. Because many voices will call us, but only one voice will lead us to life.

And Jesus ends with this promise: “I came so that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.”

Not an empty life. Not a confused life. But a full, meaningful, and peaceful life—the life that only the Good Shepherd can give.”