Pastor’s Letter: April 30, 2023

Pastor’s Letter: April 30, 2023

28 Apr 2023 | Posted by: chadmin

The April 30 bulletin is available online.

Dear friend,

This week we celebrate the 4^th Week of Easter. The theme of the shepherd is central to the readings. The Old and New Testaments of the Bible often refer to God, Jesus, and religious leaders as shepherds. The lamb was one of the common animals used in the sacrificial offerings to God. John the Baptist calls Jesus the Lamb of God, or the sacrificial offering of God. In relationship to God or a religious leader as a shepherd, the people are often defined as sheep. The connections run deep. Sheep have a trusting relationship with the shepherd. Sheep are familiar with the mannerisms and the voice of the shepherd. Put simply, sheep follow the shepherd. One of the underlying qualities of this relationship, is that the shepherd always cares for the good of the sheep. We know how painful failed spiritual leadership can be to religious people. That the shepherd wills our good is critical in seeing the shepherd/sheep relationship as life giving. It is the relationship with God, as our shepherd, that allows us to trust in God’s voice. We stand for the Gospel at Mass because we reverence the authentic Word of Jesus.

A few weeks ago, we celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday, which elevates the Mercy Image that states, “Jesus, I trust in You.” As always, the imagery and spiritual relationships in the Bible are applicable to our lives. If we hold Jesus as our shepherd then we can act like trusting sheep, who hear His voice, trust His care, and follow His guidance. The revelation of the Bible calls us to listen, understand and act. No matter the stage of our spiritual growth, the process is ongoing. There is always more to hear and implement. The spiritual act of trusting God presumes that God wills our good, on the path to heaven. May the Lord encourage us to focus on that which has eternal ramifications in our lives, while we diminish the importance of the insignificant aspects of the world.

As we envision Jesus, not only as the shepherd but also as the gate to let the sheep in and gather them together, we are mindful of our role to follow Jesus while leading others to His pasture. Our communal presence at Mass to celebrate the Eucharist has a profound effect on us all. The Eucharist changes our lives, but the change is limited by our participation. We participate in the Eucharist by responses at Mass, our reception of Communion, but also in our preparation for our encounter with Him. We are mindful that the majority of Jesus’ teaching revolved around love of God and love of neighbor. We are invited by the Church to prepare ourselves for every encounter with Him in the Eucharist. Preparation for Mass, or to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, is the process of preparing to physically and spiritually unite ourselves to Christ. With such an intimate encounter, our preparation should bring out the best in us. May the Lord guide our spiritual and moral preparation for Mass by calling us to handle the challenges of daily life with grace and courage while striving for renewed confidence in our relationship with God.

God bless,

Father David