Saints + Scripture: IV Sunday of Easter — Better Late…

'Tis the Fourth Sunday of Easter (A.K.A. Good Shepherd Sunday or the World Day of Prayer for Vocations): Wikipedia-link Eastertide, Wikipedia-link Good Shepherd, & U.S.C.C.B.-link & Wikipedia-link Vocations.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Fourth Sunday of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter four, verses eight thru twelve;
Psalm One Hundred Eighteen, verses one, eight, & nine; twenty-one, twenty-two, & twenty-three; & twenty-six, twenty-eight, & twenty-nine;
The First Letter of John, chapter three, verses one & two;
The Gospel according to John, chapter ten, verses eleven thru eighteen.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, the image of God as shepherd is a classic one in the Bible. In the book of the prophet Ezekiel, we hear that God would one day come and shepherd Israel himself. Shepherds guarded, guided, protected, and watched over their flocks—just as God guards, guides, protects, and watches over Israel.

This image comes to a climactic expression in the words of Jesus: "I am the good shepherd." What precisely makes him good? A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The good shepherd is so other-oriented, so devoted to his sheep, that he is willing to surrender his life that they might live.

Sure, a good shepherd should do all that he can to protect and guide his flock, but who among us would really expect him to give his life for them? But this is precisely what Jesus claims to do.

Imagine the difference between humans and sheep; now, multiply that difference infinitely. That would give you some idea of the difference between God and humanity. And yet God is willing to lay down his life for the likes of us.

Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Video reflection by Jeff Cavins: Encountering the Word.

Audio reflection by Scott Hahn, Ph.D.: Breaking the Bread.

Mass Journal: Week Seventeen
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:

Catholicism is not merely a religion, or a sect, or a set of rules. When small minds & smaller hearts try to capture the essence of Catholicism, this is often what they tend to conclude. But Catholicism is more than a religion. It is more than just another movement. The essence of Catholicism is not sin, punishment, duty, or obligation, & it is more than a set of lifeless rules & regulations. Catholicism is more. It is more than most people think & more than most Catholics ever experience. The essence of Catholicism is dynamic transformation. You cannot become more like Jesus Christ & at the same time stay as you are. To be Catholic means to be striving to live the Gospel, to be striving to become more like Jesus Christ. It is this dynamic approach to transformation that animates the human person—physically, emotionally, intellectually, & spiritually—&allows us to experience like "to the fullest" (John, 10:10). When are you most fully alive? When you are changing & growing & exploring all you are capable of becoming.

†

Otherwise, 22 April would be the festival of Saint Soter, Pope (circa 119-174), twelfth (XII) Bishop of Rome: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Pontiff.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Caius, Pope (circa 245-296, also spelt Gaius), twenty-eighth (XXVIII) Bishop of Rome: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Pontiff.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Theodore of Sykeon, Bishop (died 613, A.K.A. the Sykeote): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also be the festival of Blessed Maria Gabriella, Religious, O.C.S.O. (1914-1939, A.K.A. Maria Sagheddu): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Papal Quote o' the Day

The pope: "What is the thing we most need, today, to save society?"
A cardinal: "Build Catholic schools."
The pope: "No."
Another cardinal: "More churches."
The pope: "Still no."
A third cardinal: "Speed up the recruitment of priests."
The pope: "No, no, the most necessary things of all, at this time, is for every parish to possess a group of laymen who will be at the same time virtuous, enlightened, resolute, & truly apostolic."
—Pope St. Pius X (1835-1914, feast day: 21 August)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"Still God cannot be giving me trials beyond my strength. He gave me the courage to sustain this one."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"It is not hard to obey when we love the one whom we obey."
—St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556, feast day: 31 July)