Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 05-07-06, Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 05-07-06 | New American Bible

[Salvation]

May 7, 2006

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Psalm: Sunday 20

Reading 1
Acts 4:8-12

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said:
“Leaders of the people and elders:
If we are being examined today
about a good deed done to a cripple,
namely, by what means he was saved,
then all of you and all the people of Israel should know
that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean
whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead;
in his name this man stands before you healed.
He is the stone rejected by you, the builders,
which has become the cornerstone.
There is no salvation through anyone else,
nor is there any other name under heaven
given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29

R. (22) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.

R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his kindness endures forever.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading II
1 Jn 3:1-2

Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.

Gospel
Jn 10:11-18

Jesus said:
“I am the good shepherd.
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
A hired man, who is not a shepherd
and whose sheep are not his own,
sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,
and the wolf catches and scatters them.
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.
These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
This is why the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.
I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.
This command I have received from my Father.”

[Salvation]

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From: Acts 4:8-12

Address to the Sanhedrin (Continuation)

---

[8] Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of
the people and elders, [9] if we are being examined today concerning a
good deed done to a cripple, by what means this man has been healed,
[10] be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by
the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God
raised from the dead, by Him this man is standing before you well.
[11] This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which
has become the head of the corner. [12] And there is salvation in no
one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by
which we must be saved."

---

Commentary:

8-12. The Apostles' confidence and joy is quite remarkable, as is their
outspokenness in asserting that "we cannot but speak of what we have
seen and heard" (verse 20). "This is the glorious freedom of the
children of God. Christians who let themselves be browbeaten or become
inhibited or envious in the face of the licentious behavior of those
who do not accept the Word of God, show that they have a very poor idea
of the faith. If we truly fulfill the law of Christ--that is, if we
make the effort to do so, for we will not always fully succeed--we will
find ourselves endowed with a wonderful gallantry of spirit" ([St] J. Escriva,
"Friends of God", 38).

Christians have a duty to confess their faith where silence would mean
its implicit denial, disrespect for religion, an offense against God or
scandal to their neighbor. Thus Vatican II: "Christians should
approach those who are outside wisely, 'in the Holy Spirit, genuine
love, truthful speech' (2 Corinthians 6:6-7), and should strive, even
to the shedding of their blood, to spread the light of life with all
confidence (Acts 4:29) and apostolic courage. The disciple has a grave
obligation to Christ, his Master, to grow daily in his knowledge of the
truth he has received from Him, to be faithful in announcing it and
vigorous in defending it" ("Dignitatis Humanae", 14).

Pope Paul VI asked Catholics to check on any weak points in their
faith, including ignorance and human respect, "that is, shame or
timidness in professing their faith. We are not speaking of that
discretion or reserve which in a pluralist and profane society like
ours avoids certain signs of religion when with others. We are
referring to weakness, to failure to profess one's own religious ideas
for fear of ridicule, criticism or others' reactions [...] and which is
a cause--perhaps the main cause--of the abandonment of faith by people
who simply conform to whatever new environment they find themselves in"
([Pope] Paul VI, "General Audience", 19 June 1968).

8. Even in the very early days of Christianity Jesus' prediction is
borne out: "Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to
councils.... When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are
to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given
you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your
Father speaking through you" (Matthew 10:17-20).

10. "Whom God raised from the dead": St. Peter once again bears witness
to the Resurrection of Jesus, the central truth of apostolic preaching;
he uses here the same words as he did at Pentecost. These are
compatible with our holding that Jesus "rose by His own power on the
third day" ([Pope] Paul VI, "Creed of the People of God", 12). The
power by which Christ rose was that of His divine person, to which both
His soul and His body remained joined even after death separated them.
"The divine power and operation of the Father and of the Son is one and
the same; hence it follows that Christ rose by the power of the Father
and by His own power" (St. Thomas Aquinas, "Summa Theologiae", III, q.
53, a. 4).

"By the word 'Resurrection'," the "St. Pius V Catechism" explains, "we
are not merely to understand that Christ was raised from the dead,
which happened to many others, but that He rose by His own power and
virtue, a singular prerogative peculiar to Him alone. For it is
incompatible with nature and was never given to man to raise himself by
his own power, from death to life. This was reserved for the almighty
power of God. [...] We sometimes, it is true, read in Scripture that
He was raised by the Father; but this refers to Him as man, just as
those passages on the other hand, which say that He rose by His own
power, relate to Him as God" (I, 6, 8).

11. St. Peter applies the words of Psalm 118:22 to Jesus, conscious no
doubt that our Lord had referred to Himself as the stone rejected by
the builders which had become the cornerstone, the stone which keeps
the whole structure together (cf. Matthew 21:42 and par.).

12. Invocation of the name of Jesus is all-powerful because this is our
Savior's own name (cf. note on Matthew 1:21). Our Lord Himself told
His Apostles this: "If you ask anything of the Father, He will give it
to you in My name" (John 16:23), and they, trusting in this promise,
work miracles and obtain conversions "in the name of Jesus". Today--as
ever--the power of His name will work wonder in the souls of those who
call upon Him. Monsignor Escriva gives this advice: "Don't be afraid
to call our Lord by His name--Jesus--and to tell Him that you love Him"
("The Way", 303); and the Liturgy of the Hours invites us to pray: "God
our Father, You are calling us to prayer, at the same hour as the
Apostles went up to the temple. Grant that the prayer we offer with
sincere hearts in the name of Jesus may bring salvation to all who call
upon that holy name" (Week 1, Monday afternoon).

---

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

[Salvation]

From: 1 John 3:1-2


We are Children of God

---

[1] See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called
children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know
us is that it did not know him. [2] Beloved, we are God's children now;
it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he
appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

---

Commentary:


1-24. This entire chapter shows how moved the Apostle is when he
contemplates the marvelous gift of divine filiation. The Holy Spirit,
who is the author of all Sacred Scripture, has desired John to pass on
to us this unique revelation: we are children of God (v. 1).


It is not easy to divide the chapter into sections, because the style
is very cyclic and colloquial and includes many repetitions and further
thoughts which make for great vividness and freshness. However, we can
distinguish an opening proclamation of the central message (vv. 1-2)
and emphasis on two requirements of divine filiation--rejection of sin
in any shape or form (vv. 3-10), and brotherly love lived to the full
(vv. 11-24).


1. "We should be called children of God": the original Hebrew
expression, which reads "we are called...", is also used by our Lord in
the Beatitudes (cf. Mt 5:9): "to be called" means the same as "to be
called by God"; and in the language of the Bible, when God gives
someone a name he is not simply conferring a title but is causing the
thing that the name indicates (cf., e.g., Gen 17:5), for the word of
God is efficacious, it does what it says it will do. Hence St John's
adding: "and so we are".


Therefore, it is not just a matter of a metaphorical title, or a legal
fiction, or adoption human-style: divine filiation is an essential
feature of a Christian's life, a marvelous fact whereby God
gratuitously gives men a strictly supernatural dignity, an intimacy
with God whereby they are "domestici Dei", "members of the household of
God" (Eph 2:19). This explains the tone of amazement and joy with which
St John passes on this revelation.


This sense of divine filiation is one of the central points in the
spirituality of Opus Dei. Its founder wrote: "We do not exist in order
to pursue just any happiness. We have been called to penetrate the
intimacy of God's own life, to know and love God the Father, God the
Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and to love also--in that same love of
the one God in three divine Persons--the angels and all men.


"This is the great boldness of the Christian faith--to proclaim the
value and dignity of human nature and to affirm that we have been
created to obtain the dignity of children of God, through the grace
that raises us up to a supernatural level. An incredible boldness it
would be, were it not founded on the promise of salvation given us by
God the Father, confirmed by the blood of Christ, and reaffirmed and
made possible by the constant action of the Holy Spirit" ("Christ Is
Passing By", 133).


"The world does not know us, (because) it did not know him": these
words are reminiscent of our Lord's at the Last Supper: "the hour is
coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.
And they will do this because they have not known the Father, nor me"
(Jn 16:2-3). Divine filiation brings with it communion and a mysterious
identification between Christ and the Christian.


2. The indescribable gift of divine filiation, which the world does not
know (v. 1), is not fully experienced by Christians, because the seeds
of divine life which it contains will only reach their full growth in
eternal life, when we see him "as he is", "face to face" (1 Cor 13:12);
"this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus
Christ whom thou hast sent" (Jn 17:3). In that direct sight of God as
he is, and of all things in God, the life of grace and divine filiation
achieve their full growth. Man is not naturally able to see God face to
face; he needs to be enlightened by a special light, which is given the
technical theological name of "lumen gloriae", light of glory. This
does not allow him to "take in" all God (no created thing could do
that), but it does allow him to look at God directly.


Commenting on this verse, the "St Pius V Catechism" explains that
"beatitude consists of two things--that we shall behold God such as he
is in his own nature and substance; and that we ourselves shall become,
as it were, gods. For those who enjoy God while they retain their own
nature, assume a certain admirable and almost divine form, so as to
seem gods rather than men" (I, 13, 7).


"When he appears": two interpretations are possible, given that in
Greek the verb has no subject: "when (what we shall be) is revealed we
shall be as he is"; or, as the New Vulgate translates it, "when he
(Christ) is revealed we will be like him (Christ)". The second
interpretation is the more likely.

---

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

[Salvation]

From: John 10:11-18


The Good Shepherd (Continuation)

---

(Jesus said to the Pharisees,) [11] "I am the good shepherd. The good
shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [12] He who is a hireling
and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming
and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters
them. [13] He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the
sheep. [14] I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me,
[15] as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My
life for My sheep. [16] And I have other sheep that are not of this
fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed My voice. So there
shall be one flock, one shepherd. [17] For this reason the Father
loves Me, because I lay down My life, that I may take it again. [18] No
one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have power
to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have
received from My Father."

---

Commentary:


11-15. "The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep": "Here",
says St. John Chrysostom, "He is speaking of His passion, making it
clear this would take place for the salvation of the world and that He
would go to it freely and willingly" ("Hom. on St. John", 59, 3). Our
Lord spoke further about giving abundant pasture; now He speaks about
giving His very life: "He did what He said He would do", St. Gregory
comments; "He gave His life for His sheep, and He gave His body and
blood in the Sacrament to nourish with His flesh the sheep He had
redeemed" ("In Evangelia Homilae", 14, "ad loc."). Hired men, on the
other hand, run away if there is any danger, leaving the flock at risk.
"Who is the hireling? He who sees the wolf coming and flees. The man
who seeks his own glory, not the glory of Christ; the man who does not
dare reprove sinners. You are the hireling; you have seen the wolf
coming and have fled [...] because you held your peace; and you held
your peace, because you were afraid" (St. Augustine, "In Ioann Evang.",
46, 8).


"Let them remember that their priestly ministry [...] is--in a special
way--'ordered' to the great solicitude of the Good Shepherd, solicitude
for the salvation of every human being. And this we must all remember:
that it is not lawful for any one of us to deserve the name of
'hireling', that is to say, the name of one 'to whom the sheep do not
belong', one who, 'since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not
belong to him, abandons the sheep and runs away as soon as he sees the
wolf coming, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep; this is
because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep.' The
solicitude of every good shepherd is that all people 'may have life and
have it to the full', so that none of them may be lost but should have
eternal life. Let us endeavor to make this solicitude penetrate deeply
into our souls; let us strive to live it. May it characterize our
personality, and be at the foundation of our priestly identity" ([Pope]
John Paul II, "Letter to Priests", 8 April 1979).


The Good Shepherd knows each of His sheep and calls it by name. This
touching simile seems to be an exhortation to future pastors of the
Church, as St. Peter will later on explain: "Tend the flock that is
your charge, not for shameful gain but eagerly, not as domineering over
those in your charge but being examples to the flock" (1 Peter 5:2).


"The holiness of Christ's Spouse has always been shown--as it can be
seen today--by the abundance of good shepherds. But our Christian
faith, which teaches us to be simple, does not bid us to be
simple-minded. There are hirelings who keep silent, and there are
hirelings who speak with words which are not those of Christ. That is
why, if the Lord allows us to be left in the dark even in little
things, if we feel that our faith is not firm, we should go to the good
shepherd. He enters by the door as of right. He gives his life for
others and wants to be in word and behavior a soul in love. He may be
a sinner too, but he trusts always in Christ's forgiveness and mercy"
([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 34).


16. "One flock, one shepherd": Christ's mission extends to everyone
even though His own preaching is addressed, in the first instance, to
the sheep of the house of Israel, as He Himself revealed to the
Canaanite woman (cf. Matthew 15:24), and even though He sent the
Apostles on their first mission (cf. Matthew 10:6) to preach to the
people of Israel. Now, however, foreseeing the fruits of His
redemptive death (verse 15), He reveals that these will be applied to
"other sheep, that are not of this fold", that is, Israel, and, after
the Resurrection, He does send the Apostles to all nations (cf. Matthew
28:19), to preach the Gospel to all creation (cf. Matthew 16:15),
beginning in Jerusalem and extending to all Judea, Samaria and the ends
of the earth (cf. Acts 1:8). This fulfills the ancient promises about
the rule of the Messiah covering the whole world (cf. Psalm 2:7; Isaiah
2:2-6; 66:17-19). The universal scope of salvation caused St. Paul to
exclaim: "Remember that at one time you...were...separated from Christ,
alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the
covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But
now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in
the blood of Christ" (Ephesians 2:11-13; cf. Galatians 3:27-28; Romans
3:22).


The unity of the Church is to be found under one visible head, for "it
was to the Apostolic College alone, of which Peter is the head, that we
believe that our Lord entrusted all the blessings of the New Covenant,
in order to establish on earth the one body of Christ into which all
those should be fully incorporated who belong in any way to the people
of God" (Vatican II, "Unitatis Redintegratio", 3). It is a Catholic's
constant yearning that everyone should come to the true Church, "God's
one flock, which like a standard lifted high for the nations to see,
ministers the Gospel of peace to all mankind, as it makes it pilgrim
way in hope towards its goal, the fatherland above" ("ibid.", 2).


17-18. Jesus shows that of His own free will He will give Himself up to
death for the sake of the flock (cf. John 6:51). Having been given
supreme authority, Christ is free to offer Himself as a sacrifice of
expiation, and He voluntarily accepts His Father's commandment, in an
act of perfect obedience. "We will never fully understand Jesus'
freedom. It is immense, infinite, as is His love. But the priceless
treasure of His generous holocaust should move us to ask, 'Why, Lord,
have you granted me this privilege which I can use to follow in Your
footsteps, but also to offend You?' Thus we come to appreciate that
freedom is used properly when it is directed towards the good; and that
it is misused when men are forgetful and turn away from the Love of
loves" ([St] J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 26).

---

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

[Salvation]

 

 

 

[Salvation]

Sunday, May 7, 2006
Fourth Sunday of Easter

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel:

Acts 4:8-12 Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28-29 1 John 3:1-2 John 10:11-18 Hence, I tearfully beg you to refrain from seeking the favors of the world and to renounce all that is carnal. It is impossible to follow both the world and Jesus. Let us live a life of renunciation, for our bodies will soon be dust and nothing else will last any longer. -- St. Jerome

[Salvation]

Wow! What a quote from St. Jerome!

[Salvation]

The Work of God

 

Year B

 -  Fourth Sunday of Easter

The Lord is my Shepherd

John 10: 11 - 18

11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12 He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
13 He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me,
15 as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd.
17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father."

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Jesus is the Good Shepherd announced in the Sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament, He is the long awaited Messiah, the liberator, the one who comes to forgive, to heal, to bless, to teach, to warn and to sanctify those who listen to Him. He is the promissed one.

Ezek 34:16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.

A shepherd is the most important person in the lives of the sheep. By nature, sheep are dumb, they lose their way very easily, they have no sense of orientation, they seem to always look down and don't care much about their welfare. If they are not shown where to pasture, they may die for lack of food; if they fall into a ditch, they are not resourceful enough to free themselves, if they get hurt, they don't heal quickly and need a lot of care, without a shepherd they are doomed.

God uses this imagery to show us how careless we are, how materialistic we are, that we prefer to look down on the things of the world instead of looking up into the spritual world offered by our Good Shepherd. Without the Holy Spirit we behave like dumb sheep, and we tend to forget that we are made in the image of God.

Jesus himself assumes the name of the Lamb and goes even further by giving his life for us in sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins; in the words of John the Baptist He is the lamb who takes away the sins of the world, his condition is humble in respect to His Father, but He is the leader of the flock of God, He is the ruler and the one who washes our sins with his Precious Blood. By his wounds we have been healed.

With his rod he will reprimand, with his staf he will pull back those who go astray, in his mercy he will forgive those who do wrong, in his tenderness he will heal those who are hurt, with his word, his flesh and blood he will feed those who are hungry, because he cares for us.

His kingdom is not of this world, it is the kingdom within our hearts, where we have the option to love the One who cares for us by keeping his commandments or despised him and crucify him again with our ingratitud and our sinfulness.

Jesus did not come to condem the world, but to save it. He does not reject the sinner, he looks at him as a shepherd looks at a strayed sheep, he looks for it and when he finds it he will comfort it and bring it back to Him.

In the end he will raise us up on the last day, he will separate the sheep from the goats and will reward the faithful with everlasting life.

The joy of God is fullfiled when a sinner repents, his joy becomes his glory when we are always close to him and thank him and praise him.

God loved the world so much that He became a man, he died for us and he taught us how to live for him. He wants the best for everyone of us, he is patient and kind, he will wait, he knows what we are made of. But we receive so much from Him, that we begin to learn more and more what he desires from everyone of us.

What He wants is what He gives: "LOVE".

The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want. The Lord loves me with exageration, he even suffered and died for me. For my part I will try my best to be always faithful to him, I will love Him, I will love others, I will remember always that I am nothing without Him.

The Lord is my Shepherd.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

 

[Salvation]

A Shepherd's Sacrifice

by Fr. Paul Scalia

Other Articles by Fr. Paul Scalia

A Shepherd's Sacrifice

05/06/06

Pope St. Pius X received four priests in the apostolic palace one day and greeted each of them individually. The first introduced himself as a university professor. The second priest served on the faculty of a seminary. The third practiced canon law in his chancery. The fourth priest simply said, “Habeo curam animarum,” which means, “I have the care of souls.”

In a very beautiful way, he was telling the pope that he was a parish priest — a shepherd of souls. When St. Pius X heard those words, he knelt before that priest and asked for his blessing.

Of the many titles of our Lord, perhaps the most consoling and reassuring is that of the Good Shepherd. He Himself claims that title (Jn 10:11). It effectively conveys His divine solicitude and concern for us. It should also foster in us a spirit of trust and confidence.

Further, the image of the Good Shepherd provides a way for us to understand the pastors (shepherds) of the Church: priests who have the care of souls.

Christ gives a succinct definition of the Good Shepherd, and therefore of every priest: the Good Shepherd “lays down his life for the sheep” (Jn 10:11). Notice, he lays down his life. Not just his possessions, time, energy or talent — but his very life. Priestly service of Christ’s flock cannot be a part-time job or a piecemeal giving. As the representative of the Good Shepherd, a priest must possess the willingness, and even the instinct, to sacrifice for his people. He must say with St. Paul: “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls” (2 Cor 12:15).

At the heart of a priest’s sacrificial life, of course, is the Sacrifice of the Mass. He learns what it means to be a shepherd first from the Good Shepherd Who laid down His life for the sheep, from the Shepherd Who became the Lamb of sacrifice. And in offering the Mass a priest does more than just learn from the Good Shepherd. In the Mass the priest participates in — he becomes one with — the Shepherd’s sacrifice of Himself. Only in union with Christ’s sacrifice can the priest’s sacrifice be understood or possible.

This sacrificial spirit has meaning also for the priest’s union with his flock. He does not sacrifice as one who is apart, or aloof, or ignorant of their needs and sufferings. Certainly, as the shepherd the priest has the responsibility to lead, guide and correct the sheep. Nevertheless, he does not stand far off. Rather, he strives to have that same personal knowledge that characterizes Christ’s care for the flock: “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me” (Jn 10:14). By this intimate union with his people, the priest can better sacrifice for them.

Our Lord contrasts this sacrificial instinct of the shepherd with the cowardice of the hireling. “A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them” (Jn 10:12). The priest is not a hired hand. He is not a mere functionary or administrator. And if we regard him as such, or allow him to see himself that way, then we should not be surprised when he abandons the sheep or — worse — fleeces them.

One of Christian art’s earliest depictions of our Lord is as a shepherd boy carrying a sheep on His shoulders. The image summarizes well the shepherd’s sacrifice. He takes the sheep’s burden as his own and spends himself in bringing the sheep to safety and green pasture. Catholics should expect and pray for the same from their priests — that those shepherds of souls make the burdens of the flock their own and spend themselves in bringing the flock to salvation.


Fr. Scalia is parochial vicar of St. Rita parish in Alexandria, Virginia.

(This article courtesy of the Arlington Catholic Herald.)

[Salvation]

**This sacrificial spirit has meaning also for the priest’s union with his flock. He does not sacrifice as one who is apart, or aloof, or ignorant of their needs and sufferings. Certainly, as the shepherd the priest has the responsibility to lead, guide and correct the sheep. Nevertheless, he does not stand far off. Rather, he strives to have that same personal knowledge that characterizes Christ’s care for the flock: “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me” (Jn 10:14). By this intimate union with his people, the priest can better sacrifice for them.**

Excellent observation by Father Scalia who BTW, is the son of Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia.

[MILESJESU]

GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY HOMILIES PREACHED BY FATHER ALTIER

[Straight Vermonter]

The true nature of the Church (Sunday homily)
Father Martin Fox (http://frmartinfox.blogspot.com/)

The readings tell us a lot about the nature of the Church.

And the key reality of the Church, not always understood, is that the Church is a supernatural reality.

But there is a lot of confusion. Many have a "lowest common denominator" idea. "We all believe the same things," that sort of thing.

But the oneness we believe Jesus spoke of in the Gospel is a much deeper and more substantial unity; not a lowest common denominator "oneness."

Sometimes, folks will say, "well, the essentials are the same."

Again, I’m sorry to be difficult, but: no, they’re not!
Because part of the problem is, we don’t agree on what those essentials are!

One of those essentials is the Sacrifice of the Mass, and the Eucharist.
At the Mass, the Cross becomes present here!
This is a real Sacrifice; and that’s why the Eucharist, which is a sharing in that sacrifice, really is his Body and Blood.
God is in that tabernacle!
Jesus Christ is God—and there He is!
God will be on this altar in a few moments!

This is what we Catholics believe; it doesn’t make us better than anyone, but it is different. And it’s why we don’t share other church’s communion, and why we don’t invite them to share ours. We pray that one day, we will be one flock, one Eucharist.

Another essential is the nature of the Church, which I spoke about a moment ago.

For many, the Church is merely a human institution. Many will separate Christ from his Church, "I believe in Christ, but not his Church."

But Jesus Christ himself founded the Church, on the Apostles. He gave his own authority to them. And that authority is still with the Church, in the successors to the Apostles, the bishops in union with Peter’s successor, the pope.

Now, we know about history, and the sins and failures. But, don’t you see? This proves that the Church is supernatural! If the Church were merely a human institution, she would have been forgotten by history long ago!

Jesus said he would be with his Church; and we believe he does that with his Holy Spirit, who guarantees that the Apostles, and their successors, "got it right": the New Testament; the Tradition that comes to us from the Apostles, which we still preserve.

And when the pope and bishops make big decisions on matters of doctrine? We believe the Holy Spirit makes sure the Church "gets it right."

Don’t kid yourself, the credibility of the Church is under attack.

There’s a popular novel, soon to be a movie, that says, it’s all a lie, a big coverup! I mean The DaVinci Code.

Now, I know many want to read it, or see the movie. That’s your decision.

But you need to know, this book is an affront to our Church and our faith. It’s a slap in the face to all of us!

And that people would take this hokum and treat it as if it has some deep truth to reveal, shows the nature of the problem we face, in folks not understanding what the true basis for our faith is, and why our Faith is credible.

And that basis is what Jesus said in today’s Gospel: "I am the Good Shepherd", I won’t abandon my flock!

Since he didn’t stay to shepherd his flock personally, rather, he chose others to carry on in his name. Did he provide well for his flock, or not? Is he good to his word, or not?

"But there’s so much that dismays us!" I know. But that’s the miracle. If you build a building out of good stone, you expect it to stay standing. But try marshmallows! There’s the miracle of the Church, it still stands!

The first reading shows us both realities. We see Peter (Peter, of all people!) being strong and bold. He brings healing to a crippled man; and he stands up for Christ without fear.

We know all about Peter’s weakness; his strength, like the miracle, comes from Christ.

And there is the Church, both human and divine. It is Christ who makes it work.
he is the Good Shepherd.

[Salvation]

Thanks for that homily. Is he your priest?

[Salvation]

Office of Readings -- Awakeneing Prayer

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

---

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 23 (24)

The Lord comes to his temple

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, the world and all who live in it.
He himself founded it upon the seas and set it firm over the waters.

Who will climb the mountain of the Lord? Who will stand in his holy place?
The one who is innocent of wrongdoing and pure of heart,
who has not given himself to vanities or sworn falsely.
He will receive the blessing of the Lord and be justified by God his saviour.
This is the way of those who seek him, seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors, and let the king of glory enter.
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord of might and power. The Lord, strong in battle.

Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors, and let the king of glory enter.
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord of hosts – he is the king of glory.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Psalm 65 (66)

Hymn for a sacrifice of thanksgiving

Cry out to God, all the earth,
 sing psalms to the glory of his name,
 give him all glory and praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous your works!
 Faced with the greatness of your power
 your enemies dwindle away.
Let all the earth worship you and sing your praises,
 sing psalms to your name”.

Come and see the works of God,
 be awed by what he has done for the children of men.
He turned the sea into dry land,
 and they crossed the waters on foot:
 therefore will we rejoice in him.
In his might he will rule for all time,
 his eyes keep watch on the nations:
 no rebellion will ever succeed.

Bless our God, you nations,
 and let the sound of your praises be heard.
Praise him who brought us to life,
 and saved us from stumbling.

For you have tested us, O Lord,
 you have tried us by fire, as silver is tried.
You led us into the trap,
 heaped tribulations upon us.
You set other men to rule over us –
 but we passed through fire and water,
 and you led us out to our rest.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Psalm 65 (66)

I shall enter your house with burnt-offerings.
 I shall fulfil my vows to you,
the vows that I made with my lips,
 the vows that I uttered in my troubles.
I shall offer you rich burnt-offerings,
 the smoke of the flesh of rams;
 I shall offer you cattle and goats.

Draw near and listen, you who fear the Lord,
 and I will tell all that he has done for me.
I cried out aloud to him,
 and his praise was on my tongue.
If I looked upon sin in the depths of my heart,
 the Lord would not hear me –
but the Lord has listened,
 he has heard the cry of my appeal.

Blessed be God, who has not spurned my prayer,
 who has not kept his mercy from me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Reading

Apocalypse 12:1 - 18 ©

Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with the twelve stars on her head for a crown. She was pregnant, and in labour, crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth. Then a second sign appeared in the sky, a huge red dragon which had seven heads and ten horns, and each of the seven heads crowned with a coronet. Its tail dragged a third of the stars from the sky and dropped them to the earth, and the dragon stopped in front of the woman as she was having the child, so that he could eat it as soon as it was born from its mother. The woman brought a male child into the world, the son who was to rule all the nations with an iron sceptre, and the child was taken straight up to God and to his throne, while the woman escaped into the desert, where God had made a place of safety ready, for her to be looked after in the twelve hundred and sixty days. And now war broke out in heaven, when Michael with his angels attacked the dragon. The dragon fought back with his angels, but they were defeated and driven out of heaven. The great dragon, the primeval serpent, known as the devil or Satan, who had deceived all the world, was hurled down to the earth and his angels were hurled down with him. Then I heard a voice shout from heaven, ‘Victory and power and empire for ever have been won by our God, and all authority for his Christ, now that the persecutor, who accused our brothers day and night before our God, has been brought down. They have triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the witness of their martyrdom, because even in the face of death they would not cling to life. Let the heavens rejoice and all who live there; but for you, earth and sea, trouble is coming – because the devil has gone down to you in a rage, knowing that his days are numbered.’ As soon as the devil found himself thrown down to the earth, he sprang in pursuit of the woman, the mother of the male child, but she was given a huge pair of eagle’s wings to fly away from the serpent into the desert, to the place where she was to be looked after for a year and twice a year and half a year So the serpent vomited water from his mouth, like a river, after the woman, to sweep her away in the current, but the earth came to her rescue; it opened its mouth and swallowed the river thrown up by the dragon’s jaws. Then the dragon was enraged with the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children, that is, all who obey God’s commandments and bear witness for Jesus.

---

Reading	From a homily on the Gospels by Saint Gregory the Great, pope
Christ the Good Shepherd
I am the good shepherd. I know my own – by which I mean, I love them – and my own know me. In plain words: those who love me are willing to follow me, for anyone who does not love the truth has not yet come to know it. My dear brethren, you have heard the test we pastors have to undergo. Turn now to consider how these words of our Lord imply a test for yourselves also. Ask yourselves whether you belong to his flock, whether you know him, whether the light of his truth shines in your minds. I assure you that it is not by faith that you will come to know him, but by love; not by mere conviction, but by action. John the evangelist is my authority for this statement. He tells us that anyone who claims to know God without keeping his commandments is a liar. Consequently, the Lord immediately adds: As the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. Clearly he means that laying down his life for his sheep gives evidence of his knowledge of the Father and the Father’s knowledge of him. In other words, by the love with which he dies for his sheep he shows how greatly he loves his Father. Again he says: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them; they follow me, and I give them eternal life. Shortly before this he had declared: If anyone enters the sheepfold through me he shall be saved; he shall go freely in and out and shall find good pasture. He will enter into a life of faith; from faith he will go out to vision, from belief to contemplation, and will graze in the good pastures of everlasting life. So our Lord’s sheep will finally reach their grazing ground where all who follow him in simplicity of heart will feed on the green pastures of eternity. These pastures are the spiritual joys of heaven. There the elect look upon the face of God with unclouded vision and feast at the banquet of life for ever more. Beloved brothers, let us set out for these pastures where we shall keep joyful festival with so many of our fellow citizens. May the thought of their happiness urge us on! Let us stir up our hearts, rekindle our faith, and long eagerly for what heaven has in store for us. To love thus is to be already on our way. No matter what obstacles we encounter, we must not allow them to turn us aside from the joy of that heavenly feast. Anyone who is determined to reach his destination is not deterred by the roughness of the road that leads to it. Nor must we allow the charm of success to seduce us, or we shall be like a foolish traveller who is so distracted by the pleasant meadows through which he is passing that he forgets where he is going.

---

Canticle

Te Deum

God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you! You, the Father, the eternal – all the earth venerates you. All the angels, all the heavens, every power – The cherubim, the seraphim – unceasingly, they cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts: heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!” The glorious choir of Apostles – The noble ranks of prophets – The shining army of martyrs – all praise you. Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you. – Father of immeasurable majesty, – True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship, – Holy Spirit, our Advocate. You, Christ: – You are the king of glory. – You are the Father’s eternal Son. – You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb. – You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you. – You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father. – You will come, so we believe, as our Judge. And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood. Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory. Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance. Rule them and lift them high for ever. Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever. Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us. Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you. In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,  world without end. Amen.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Collect: Almighty and ever-living God, give us new strength from the courage of Christ our shepherd, and lead us to join the saints in heaven, where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Prayers: » Prayers for the Easter Season

May 07, 2006 Fourth Sunday of Easter I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep (Jn 10:11-15). Sunday Readings The first reading is taken from the Acts of the Apostles 4:8-12. This excerpt is a sequence of what was described in last Sunday's first reading. Peter had cured a cripple-from-birth and told the people that it was not by his own power that he did this, but through the power of Jesus of Nazareth, whom the Jews had crucified. The second reading is from the first Letter of John 3:1-2 in which he sets out in a couple of sentences the basic effect of the Incarnation. Already in this life men are made children of God. Because we are God's children here below we shall see him as he is in the future life. The Gospel is from St. John 10:11-18. The image of Christ as our Good Shepherd has always appealed to human nature. One of the earliest paintings of Christ in the Roman catacombs represents him as carrying an injured sheep on his shoulders. This is a manifestation of love which touches our innermost feelings. We do not mind being likened to sheep in this context. There is something guileless about a sheep, and at the same time a lot of foolishness. Does not this describe the vast majority of men, even many of those who openly oppose Christ? Is there not something very sheeplike about the man who, because God gave him a limited intellect, thinks he knows all things and needs no further help from God? The sheep who thinks it knows as much, and even more, than the shepherd and sets out to fend for itself, is no more foolish than the man who thinks he can do without God's revelation and God's Church. Indeed we all act like sheep on many occasions, when it cones to the things that concern our spiritual welfare. We often ramble off from the flock to nibble at little bits of forbidden pasture. However, we have a Shepherd who understands us, one whose patience and love are infinite. He is always ready to go after us when we stray too far; his voice is constantly reaching out to us in missions, retreats, sicknesses, crosses and other various ways. How many times have we already felt his loving grace calling and helping us back to the safety of his fold? There are many who are not so fortunate as we, who either through no fault of their own or through their own fault do not hear his voice and do not know or follow him. This is an opportunity he gives us to show how we appreciate all he has done for us. He died on the cross for all men. He wills all men to profit by his death, and his statement "them also I must bring" is a direct appeal to us to cooperate with him in this work. Every Christian is a missionary. The very fact of living the Christian life in its entirety, in the midst of our fellowmen, is of itself a powerful example to outsiders. It influences for good the lax Christian and the nonChristian. It makes them stop and think and look into their consciences. This is generally the first step on the road back to God. The devout Christian will not stop at good example only. If he truly loves God, he must truly love his neighbor and must want him to have a share in his own good fortune. He knows there is welcome and room in heaven for all men, and he knows that the greater the number there the greater will be God's eternal glory. He will strive then by every available means to help his neighbor into Christ's fold. After good example, prayer will be his most potent weapon. Day in, day out the devout Christian must pray for the conversion of his fellowmen who are wandering aimlessly in the barren desert of this life far from God. He must also learn all he can about the truths of his faith in order to be able to help honest enquirers. He must also cooperate with any parochial or diocesan societies for the propagation of the faith, insofar as his family and financial state allow him. The sermon preached by our Savior nearly two thousand years ago is still echoing and re-echoing around the world, calling on his faithful flock to do all in their power to help those other children of God who are still outside the fold. Do not shut your ears to this call of Christ today. Give him a helping hand by helping your fellowman to see the light of the true faith. Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

I Lay Down My Life
May 7, 2006

Christ is the perfect bridge between fallen man and an infinitely holy God.

Fourth Sunday of Easter
Father Todd Belardi, LC

John 10:11-18
Jesus said: "I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father."

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for this opportunity to be with you in prayer. Open my heart to listen to your words of eternal life so that I may choose to follow you more closely on the path of true love.

Petition: Lord, may I be faithful to your will in my life so that I can be an authentic Christian.

1. I Lay It Down. The Father entrusted Christ with a mission: Christ was to bring about our salvation through a life of unlimited self-giving, even to the point of giving his own life. Being God he could repay the Father for our sins; being man he could identity with our fallen humanity and raise its dignity so that we might become the Father’s children. Christ is the perfect bridge between fallen man and an infinitely holy God. His mission of bridging this chasm came about through freely accepting the will of the Father. There was nothing Our Lord would receive in return, and yet he was faithful even to the point of death.

2. On My Own. Jesus was not ordered to give himself for our sins. He offered himself. Freedom is best used when it embraces the will of God, whatever the cost might be. We have to remember that Jesus knew what lay beyond his successful preaching and his miracles: the road to Calvary. He spent many nights in prayer on the Mount of Olives in preparation for his hour. He foretold his fate to his disciples and continued forward towards this end despite their misunderstanding. And in the end, when the hour came, he proved faithful. When the hour of darkness sought him, he stepped forward to say, “I am he.” Christ never flinched in front of God’s will. He felt its weight. Sorrow flooded his heart. An easier path tugged at his humanity. But he proved that love is stronger than death, that true freedom can defeat sin and master it.

3. A Life of Love. Perhaps offering ourselves to God frightens us. What will he ask? What will I have to leave behind? Will I be able to do it? However, fear vanishes when we live out of love, like Christ. We need to remember that the Father asked him to die for us and look at the fruits this bore. Taking on our humanity, he left behind the splendor of his divinity and raised us to a new level. He did the impossible by bearing the weight of all our sins. He trusted in the Father to give him strength. We might be asked today to die more to our self-love, to leave behind a vice we have been struggling with, or to trust that with grace I can live a truly Christian life in a world hostile to Christianity. In the end, if we love Christ, we will not be frightened because he has already shown us the way –– and he has already conquered.

Dialogue with Christ: Lord, give me the courage to be a faithful Christian, at all times and in all places, with whomever I meet and in whatever I say. Help me to give testimony to who you are.

Resolution: I will offer one concrete act of self-mastery for love of Christ today.

[MILESJESU]

Dear Salvation,

Here is an excellent Homily from Father James Farfaglia for "Good Shepherd Sunday".


http://www.goccn.org/diocese/spcl/reflect.asp

May 7, 2006

4th Sunday of Easter

A Homily Reflection with
Fr. James Farfaglia
St. Helena of the True Cross Parish
Corpus Christi, Texas

The Good Shepherd

One of my favorite movies is The Delta Force. American tourists are hijacked by Arab terrorists who hold the hostages in Beirut. Lee Marvin and Chuck Norris lead an elite team of U.S. Special Forces that rescue the endangered travelers.

At the beginning of the tragedy, the two Arab terrorists aboard the jetliner begin to separate the few Jewish tourists from the rest of the hostages. One of the most moving moments of the film is when Fr. William O’Malley, a priest from Chicago played by George Kennedy, gets up from his seat and walks into the First Class compartment where the Jews are being held.

Kennedy courageously walks into the compartment where he is disdainfully met by the leading terrorist.

The terrorist asks what his name is and Kennedy responds that his name is William O’Malley.Perplexed by the situation, the terrorist asks what the priest wants. He responds that since he is a Catholic priest and a follower of Jesus Christ, that he too is Jewish. “If you take one, you have to take us all”, answers the priest who willingly accompanies the Jewish hostages.

“I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10: 11).

The main part of the Holy Land was a large central plateau about 35 miles long. The ground was for the most part rough and rocky. It was impossible for sheep just to stay in one area for grazing. Large areas for grazing simply did not exist. Every flock had to have a shepherd who led his flock every day to places where the sheep could eat.
The life of a shepherd was very difficult. A flock of sheep never grazed without his presence and therefore, the shepherd was on duty every day of the week. Since the sheep always had to travel in order to find grass to eat, they were never left alone.

Sheep could get lost, or they could be attacked by wolves or stolen by robbers.

Sheep were seldom used for regular food by the people of the Holy Land; rather sheep were cultivated for the use of their wool. Thus, the shepherd was with his sheep for a very long time. He gave each one of them a name, and they all knew his voice. In fact, it is said that each shepherd had a peculiar way of speaking to the sheep that allowed them to know that he was their shepherd.
During the warm weather, it was common for the sheep to spend the night away from the village farm.

The shepherd watched over them throughout the night. In these circumstances, the sheep stayed in open areas surrounded by a low rock wall.In these areas, the sheep entered and left through an open space which had no door or gate of any kind. During the night, the shepherd would sleep stretched out within the empty space so that no sheep could get out except by crossing over his body. At the same time, a wolf or a robber could not get in, except by crossing over his body as well.

Here we can see a prime example of how the shepherd would give his life for his sheep.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. The Easter Season is a continual celebration of the one central mystery of Christianity; that Jesus gave his life for us by dying on the Cross. He saved us from our sins. “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved” (Acts of the Apostles, 4: 12).

Applied to our practical lives, the message is clear. Whatever our state in life may be, we are all called to shepherd the sheep that have been entrusted to our care. This is most especially true for priests, parents and grand-parents.

Shepherding a diocese, a parish, or a family is very demanding. Dedication, commitment, sacrifice and vigilance are needed every day.Just like Jesus the Good Shepherd, shepherds are called to love unconditionally.
One of the many things that I admire about my own Bishop is the fact that he is always at his post.

Whenever I have a question or I need some advice or a word of encouragement, he either answers my call immediately or returns my phone call within a very short span of time. Before he ends his busy day, he gets back to me or invites me to visit with him personally in his office.

Rather than unveiling plans for massive parish closings, our diocese is creating new parish communities and even opening a new Catholic High School.Should not we be asking some vital questions?

Are homes being visited? Are priests being available for their people? Can they be reached for emergencies, even throughout the night?

If the majority of people have no church home or the demographics of a particular area have changed, it may seem more economical to close parishes, but is this what a shepherd should do?

Despite the many challenges of modern life, diocesan families, parish families, and families living in neighborhoods are vibrant, healthy, happy and strong when these families are led by people who are true shepherds, shepherds who lovingly tend their sheep.

If we are going to be true disciples of the Good Shepherd, we must forget ourselves completely and be totally dedicated. Jesus calls us to love one another unconditionally.

“I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10: 11).

[Straight Vermonter]

He's not my priest. I just found his blog a few weeks ago. Kinda neat, a priest with a blog.