Fourth Sunday of Easter (Good Shepherd Sunday)

Year of Saint Joseph

Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love" 

World Day of Prayer for Vocations

In other years: Saint Mark the Evangelist, Patron Saint of Venice

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 67 Brothers Sent on a Journey

Mass: Acts 4:8-12; Resp Ps 118; 1 Jn 3:1-2; Jn 10:11-18

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.

JESUS, GOOD SHEPHERD,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

Welcome to Good Shepherd Sunday. It was something I read yesterday that is fitting to introduce this Fourth Sunday of Easter. In a homily, Capuchin Franciscan friar and the preacher to the papal household since 1980 (under three popes now!), commented on the "expression 'to believe in,' as in the sentence: Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me (Jn 14:1)." The Cardinal had this to say: "Believe here means: have faith in, entrust yourself to the person you believe in, build your life on that person. It indicates a total and unconditional trust that is to replace all human insecurity. A trust in consequence of which the whole heart can never again be troubled by anything." Believe. Have faith. Entrust yourself to Jesus the Good Shepherd in whom you believe. When the going gets tough, the tough, with Jesus, get going. No matter what. Let not your hearts be troubled for all things are possible with God. 

God's call always urges us to take a first step, to give of ourselves, to press forward. There can be no faith without risk. Only by abandoning ourselves constantly to grace, setting aside our own programs and comforts, can we truly say "yes" to God. And every "yes" bears fruit because it becomes part of a larger design, of which we glimpse only details, but which the divine Artist knows and carries out, making of every life a masterpiece.

(Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the 2021 World Day of Vocations)

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.

In green pastures you let me graze;

to safe waters you lead me; you restore my strength,

You guide me along the right path for the sake of your name.

Even when I walk through a dark valley,

I fear no harm since you are at my side;

your rod and your staff give me courage.

(Ps 23:1-4)

SAINT MARK THE EVANGELIST,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: White Trillium in Corvallis. Thank you dear Catherine.

© Gertrude Feick 2021