Fourth Sunday of Easter

The True Shepherd

The risen Jesus is the true shepherd, the one who enters through the gate, who walks in front of them,
and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice.

True Christians follow the true shepherd: they recognize his voice and they obey his com-
mands. They hear his message about loving enemies, about seeking first the kingdom of
God, about forgiving seventy times a day.

They hear him talk of concern for the poor, of selling all that one has, of being perfect as
their heavenly Father is perfect. They listen to him say that they should not worry about to-
morrow, that they should turn the other cheek, that they should lose their lives.

They hear and obey, following their shepherd through the gate.

There are false shepherds who speak other words, who talk of defending one’s rights, of ac-
cumulating wealth, of achieving social prominence. Some Christians listen to them rather
than to the true shepherd.

Both the true and the false shepherds lead one to death. The difference is that the true shep-
herd leads beyond death to resurrection.
Gerald Darring

“In Christ and through Christ God has

revealed himself fully to mankind and
has definitively drawn close to it; at the
same time, in Christ and through Christ
man has acquired full awareness of his
dignity, of the heights to which he is
raised, of the surpassing worth of his
own humanity, and of the meaning of
his existence.”
Pope John Paul II, Redemptor Hominis
(1979) 11
April 13, 2008
Some καιρός / kairos thoughts…
καιρός / kairos—Greek—time—viewed as an occasion rather than an extent

What God has done

and what God will do
and what God can do

in the name of Love

in the name of forgiveness
in the name of surprise
and delight
Prayer List
that is truly amazing Pray the rosary for world peace, Avis Cox, Fr. Clarence Biggers, Gladys and
Ben Kramkowski, Rita Moenk, Doug Bearden, Sarah Snider, Thornton/Lynch
family, Ryan Amsberry, Annie & family, Connie, her mother & family, Blake,
Erik, Campbell family, Jonathan & family, Sharon & family, Will, FMS, Cap.
consider one calla lily— Corp., Patrick & Brittany, Broughman family, Fannie Crowder & family, VAL,
Father Ingram’s father & family, Karen’s mother & friend, Cheryl Mobley &
the fifteen billion years family, William Hudson, Robert, Walter, Danielle, Christopher, Barbara,
Katherine, Nicholas, Kaylin, Kasie, Mary Beth & family, Mary Ann Mahoney &
our universe was in the family, Donna & family, Ann Chancellor & family, Duffie, Sheila & family,
cancer patients & families, military & families, Brandon, Plantation Villa
making residents, Don, Mrs. Carpenter, Mr. & Mrs. Rooks, Katherine & family, Mr.
Dunn, Mr. & Mrs. Barlow, Jane & family, Scott & family, Diane & Peter,
Michele & Gary, Lucy’s father & family, Bobbie, Joan & family, Karl’s mother
& family, Bernard & Anna, June & family, Tina & family, Belinda & family,
OLM family, Kat, Delgratia & family, Mr. Gomez & family, Sara & family, Dr.
a garden for us Lynch & family, Rob/Allie & family, Chuck & family, Frank & family, Liesa &
family, mother of Dr. Petros, Dr. Issa & family, Odessa, Anita’s mother &
as guests family, Ruby, Ruby’s mother & family, Davies family, Katie & family, family of
Angie, Ann & family, Gretchen & family, Eileen, Scott & family, Robert, Flavia
on planet earth & family, Tony’s family, Roy & Martha Wright, Roy, Alice Swygert, Alan, Nard,
Tony, Glenda, Nelson, J. Bob, Munn, Vogt, Wolfe families, Russell & family,
Ola, Gene Wilson & family, Jane Brock & family, Janet Kramer & family,
Elayne & family, Winnie, Phil & family, Tony, Stan, Emily & family, Ruthie &
Ed, Mr. Bergin & family, Karen, Bernard’s father, Angie’s brother, Russell &
what God has done family, Mrs. Sanseverino & family, CC Center, veterans & families Jessie
Emmett, Mark, Michael’s mother, Carrie, VAMC, Rambo’s mother & family,
and what God will do Josephine Mary, Mary Anna, S. Paul, Tony, J. W. Wilson & family, Jason &
Kim, Josie, Kelly, Gail, Mickey’s family, Jon & Janet Cook & family, Karen’s
that is truly amazing cousin, Mike Aguado & family, Carl & family, Dr. Lopez & family, Dr.
Vanapalli & family, Dr. Yu, Christian, Aaron, Marina & family, Mary, Susan &
J. Janda Poem from liturgy.slu.edu
family, Michael’s grandfather & family, family of Zach, Duffie Mitchell’s father
& family, Gail, Michael & family, Berger family, Mendez family, Ikai family,
Joshua Moser, Stephanie Christian, Carolyn Williamson, Chris B., Joey Milani,
King Cooper Jr. & family, Mary Ondovchik, Ann Rudy, Edna & Joe ,Henry &
Peter preaches and the crowd asks, Anna, Peggy Cable, Claude Rickman, Leonard & Mary, Patricia, Kathy, Tom
Sullivan, Connie Graham, Anderson family, Chris Stahler family, Frances
“What must we do?” The answer is di- Homsey, Gus Kneidinger, Steven, Barbara, Mary Jo Shamas, Frank, Shanna,
Elaine Cole, Elysa Cole-Ali, Shirley Walton, Leroy & Lynn Burrows, Marie
rect: “Repent, and be baptized in the McDemmond, The Hartmans, Sr. Mary Bonaventure, Chad Nostrant, Heidi
FitzGerald, Jim Powers, Ana Maria & Erwin Molano, Juan Carlos Restrepo,
name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness Alvaro Penagas, Harld & Amparo Villegas, Ed Schaffer, Sean McHugh, Lynn
Smith, Hattie Jackson, Fred Wideman, The Dames family, Randy Taylor, Brian
of sins and you will receive the Holy Strickland, Dan McCormick, Amy & family, Lil Jones, Julian Campbell, Carl
Dellaquila, Lily Bosco, Katherine Catti, Joanna & Michael Spataro, Stephanie &
Spirit.” Jesus tells us he is our Good Mark Fletcher, Anna, Ambreen, Molly, Justino Prado, Louis Talbot, Fabe
Rachon, Wright family, Ellie Doane & family, Jackie Eubanks, Mrs. Bass,
Shepherd, the gate to paradise. He calls Robert & Virginia Jones, Mr. & Mrs. Kirk, Michael Coates, Jeremy & Erica
Granier, John Crowe, Marianne Bolton, Anthony Morgan, Bonnie Dobmeier,
each of us to help him continue his Mary Scarnati, Katie Whatley, Carla Smith, Olivia, Fr. Moore, Steve Sutton,
Helen Anderson, Ferrante Family, Dorene Trumble, Danielle Vincent, Nellie
Smith, Michael Caldwell, Michelle Carroll, Yvonne Olson, Jerry Quinn, Micheal
work in the church. What will you do? Herrin, Carly Hall & family, Justine McGuire, Brett

Philip J. Sandstrom, S.T.D. © 2001 Oregon Catholic Press. All rights reserved.