April 25: Fourth Sunday in Easter

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, quoted Psalm 118 to convince us that Jesus is our cornerstone, our foundation and our universal savior. And in John’s gospel this weekend Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd.” He was willing to die for his sheep. Pope Francis urges pastors to be so close to the people, to be such good shepherds that they would smell like their sheep! Jesus, Pope Francis, and Fr. George all grew in understanding the will of our Father and showed by the way they live their lives how we might grow in understanding God’s will ourselves.

Despite scriptures consoling words many of us feel bereft; the shepherd of our parishes has gone home to God. So, Jesus moves through all that grief and all the pandemics of COVID, racism, sexism, violence, poverty, environmental degradation and more. Jesus moves through all trauma throughout our world to remind us, God’s children, that all humanity is one flock and we will hear God’s voice. God gentles us with today’s scripture readings assuring us through the author of the first letter of 1 John, “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God.” As God’s children will we hear God’s word in every aspect of our lives? We do hear God when we listen to sacred scripture.

Deni Mack, Dmin.
Pastoral Associate Emerita