April 25, 2010
4th Sunday of Easter
How many of us are wearing more than one cap? It is a challenge to delineate our responsibilities and balance our titles. Jesus is both Lamb of God and Good Shepherd. In the Gospel according to John, Jesus is first called “Lamb of God†by the Baptist. His nickname for Jesus? “Lamb†recalls the Exodus and Passover. The lamb is an offering to God and nourishment for the Hebrew people as they journey from slavery to freedom as God’s children in the Promised Land. Blood and water flowed from the pierced heart of Jesus on the cross – bringing life and birth to the believing community. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who calls by name, who leads the sheep to green pastures/fresh water and lays down his life for his followers. Pope Paul VI in 1964 invited Catholics to pray for vocations. A vocation is a calling into friendship and service with Christ. Even after 46 years of prayer there continues to be a critical need for pastoral leadership in the Church. But the crisis is more than a lack of vocations to priesthood and religious life. Do the baptized hear the call of the Good Shepherd? Do all at Mass today appreciate that you are part of God’s plan and have a role to play as followers of Christ? Let us pray: “O Jesus, divine Shepherd of the spirit, you have called the Apostles in order to make them fishers of men, you still attract to you burning spirits and generous young people, in order to render them your followers and ministers to us.†– Pope Paul VI, World Day of Prayer for Vocations, 1964
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Palm Sunday
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5th Sunday of Easter
