Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Monday of the fourth week of Easter, April 27th, 2026

Delivered by Novi and Kenan from the Parish of Saint Peter in the Diocese of Bandung, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 11: 1-18; Rs psalm 42: 2-3; 43: 3.4; John 10: 11-18.THE GOOD SHEPHERD LOVES THE SMELL OF THE SHEEP Our meditation today has the theme: The Good ShepherdLoves the Smell of the Sheep. There is a nun who told the story of her dailywork in a girls' dormy. She assists and looks after the girls of the dormitorywith a relentless spirit of sacrifice. The girls go every day to differentschools and universities. She accompanies every personal girl in her human andreligious growth. She knows every girl and her family background very well. Shetreats each of the boarders as her own child and each naturally treats the nunas one's own mother.  There is another story from Stefania, a 23-year-oldyoung woman and the eldest of four siblings. Her three younger siblings arestill in college and in junior and senior high schools, while she is already working.Her parents often travel out of the city and abroad to do family business.Stefania must act as both a big sister and parent for her three youngersiblings. She makes sure to always know where her younger siblings are and whatthey are doing. Each of them also knows that their elder sister always has alook and follows them anywhere and anytime. They feel so loved by their bigsister. The nun and Stefania are the examples of the goodshepherd profile, as the Lord Jesus wants from his followers. What Jesus wantsis a shepherd who likes the smell of all his sheep, therefore, he is willing tosacrifice himself for their sake. The special value of a good shepherd wholoves the smell of all his sheep, is that God does not feel disgusted and doesnot give up with the smell of the sheep. He even likes the smell of many othersheep. There will be more different smells for sure because more sheep to bewelcomed in. In His is love and mercy, the bad smell of sheep will becomefragrant. Jesus says this in the today's Gospel, that other sheep outside thesheepfold, also need the shepherd's care. We immediately have an example fromtoday's reading. Saint Peter, the first apostle, succeeded in bringing peopleoutside the boundaries of Jewish territory to become new members of the earlyChurch. The reality about good shepherd loves the smell of thesheep has not been fully seen in the whole Church today. Pope Francis is mostlyknown for his invitation to all members of the Church to take care and help oneanother tirelessly and without discriminating against various differences ofthose served. May each of us, both clergies and lay people, both religiouspersons and people in general, always follow the way the Lord Jesus who proclaimsHimself a good shepherd for all people. All the smell of the sheep attracts usall together that we will have no regret or hesitance to help them to becomeresponsible and mature people of God. Letus pray ... In the name of the Father ... Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us withYour gift of good shepherd, that we may be good shepherds too to our neighbors,without discriminating against people's different backgrounds. Glory to theFather and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father ...