From Conviction to Conversion: Taking after the Shepherd

Fr Oluwafemi Victor Orilua CSSp

Beloved in Christ, as we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Easter, the Church invites us to pray for vocations throughout the world. As the Lord Jesus presents Himself to us as the Good Shepherd, we pray that God may raise men and women who are willing to give their lives in total service to Him and to humanity.

The Church needs people who, moved by the Holy Spirit, will boldly proclaim the Gospel in a way that brings about conversion into the Kingdom. We live in a world where Gospel values are compromised on a daily basis. Therefore, we need men and women who will reveal the true identity of Jesus to the world.

Peter, in his first letter, reminds us:

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:24–25).

The Lord Himself says, “I am the door of the sheep.” And on the day of Pentecost, Peter, standing with the Eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed the crowd:

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Peter preached the Gospel plainly, without softening the message, and that made the difference. “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’” When we truly understand the consequences of sin, we are moved to change. We need ministers who would not dilute the gospel message.

A Yoruba adage says, “Teni begi loju, igi aruwe”- the one who cuts a tree bears the greater burden, for the tree will sprout again. The victim may recover, but the offender carries the weight of the action. This simply means that the guilt of our deeds will always remain with us unless we are made to be sorry for them and change; our conscience is a silent judge.

Let us pray for servants who are ready to make sacrifices for the Kingdom- ministers who will preach the truth of the Gospel to win souls, not merely tell people what they want to hear. We need the Holy Spirit to make us bold in witnessing for Christ, so that when people hear us speak or see us act, their response will be: “What shall we do?”

May the Lord increase the number of those who truly understand His ways. Amen.