The Fourth Sunday of Easter, May 11, 2025

Gospel

John 10:27-30

Jesus said:“My sheep hear my voice;

I know them, and they follow me.

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.

No one can take them out of my hand.

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,

and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.

The Father and I are one.”

Reflection

“The Father and I are one.”

I was talking with my daughter about Pope Leo XIV and some of the things we have learned about him in social media.  His older brother was interviewed and it is so nice to see how close they still are even though there is such a distance in miles.

We found out that Pope Leo XIV is the first Augustinian Friar to become Pope.  We looked up the charism of the order and it says: “The foundation of Augustinian life is life in common, in which all the brothers by sharing themselves, construct a path directed to God in service to others, and in the communion of all their goods, perfecting themselves through the gift of divine grace.  Thus in their life, they reflect the mystery of the Trinity and of the Church, anticipating now on earth the reality they hope for in the future in the Father’s house.”

The Friars work together, pray together and help each other.  When Jesus say’s, “The Father and I are one” I think about how our priests work to be one with Jesus.  This charism of the Augustinian order reflects a life directed toward God.

As we live our lives in our own families and in our church communities, we look to our priests to lead us closer to Jesus. Praise God for our Priests and their willingness to help us to grow in faith.

Today is “Good Shepherd Sunday”, what a blessing that our Father in heaven has given us this gift of a new Pope, our new Shepherd of the Church.  Let us keep him and all our priests in our prayers today and through out the year.  Here is our PAPA Prayer for Priests. Have a blessed "Good Shepherd Sunday"!