In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that He is the true vine that God intended Israel to be—the source of divine life and wisdom for the nations (see Sirach 24:17–24).

In Baptism, each of us was joined to Him by the Holy Spirit. As a branch grows from a tree, our souls are to draw life from Him, nourished by His word and the Eucharist.

The image of the good shepherd was well known by those listening to Jesus. In the Old Testament, Moses and David, before God chose them to be shepherds of his people, had been shepherds of flocks. Later on, during the exile, Ezekiel had spoken of God himself as the shepherd of his people: “As a shepherd seeks out his flock … so will I seek out my sheep; and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness” (Ezek 34:12).

The Resurrection of Christ marks the beginning of a very special liturgical season in the Church called Easter, whose origin dates back to ancient times and has various traditions.

1. The origins of Easter go back to the feasts of ancient nomadic or semi-nomadic shepherds who, some 4000 years ago, celebrated outside a sanctuary, without a priest or altar. A young animal was killed and cooked, without breaking any bones. The blood was smeared on the tent poles as a protection against dangers.

At a recent community meeting, many residents were expressing their fears—fears of crime, terrorism, the economy, health care, etc. It seems as though we are controlled by fear. People base their decisions and actions on the negative things that might happen, rather than the positive things that could happen. Such negative thinking only engenders more fear and apprehension, drowning out the possibility of a better, more creative society.