saints peter paul -...
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APRIL 25, 2021 • FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Saints
902 East 9th Street • Hopkinsville, KY 42240
Peter & Paul C AT H O L I C C H U R C H
AND SCHOOL
Established 1872
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
We are a Roman Catholic Community of Christians called to be a priestly people, a household of faith, a temple of the Holy Spirit, a beacon of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apos-tolic Church shining for Jesus Christ in the heart of Christian County.
Rev. Fr. Richard Meredith, Pastor [email protected]
Rev. Fr. Michael Charles Abiero, Parochial Vicar [email protected]
Permanent Deacon, Mr. Tim Barnes [email protected] Permanent Deacon, Mr. Roberto Cruz [email protected] Permanent Deacon, Mr. Trinidad Soriano Permanent Deacon, Dr. Bill Sweet [email protected] PARISH OFFICE PHONE: (270) 885-8522 PARISH FAX: (270) 885-5296 PARISH WEBSITE: www.stsppchurch.org DIOCESAN WEBSITE: www.owensborodiocese.org VATICAN WEBSITE: www.vatican.va PARISH OFFICE HOURS: 8:00AM-12 NOON • 1:00 PM-4:00 PM MONDAY – FRIDAY
SCHOOL TELEPHONE: (270) 886-0172 SCHOOL FAX: (270) 887-9924 SCHOOL WEBSITE: www.stsppschool.org
Tru†h Radio WSPP 93.5 FM (Local Catholic Radio)
Saints Peter and Paul Assistance: 270-886-6027
Saints Peter and Paul Thrift Store: 270-632-1037 Store Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Second Saturday of the month-10:00 am - 2:00 pm.
MEMBERSHIP IN THE PARISH We give a sincere welcome to all new families moving into our Parish. Please register with the Parish Office as soon as possible. Families who plan to move from our parish com-
munity are asked to let us know.
MASS SCHEDULE Saturday evening ..................................... 5:00 PM Sunday .................................. 8:00 AM, 10:30 AM Misa en Español .............. 2:00 PM, 10:30 PM Monday - Saturday................................ 8:00 AM Wednesday ......................................... 5:30 PM Thursday (en Español) ............................ 5:30 PM
SS PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, HOPKINSVILLE, KY
The Catholic Church teaches that the sexual abuse of any person is a grave moral evil. To report any instance of sexual abuse by anyone
acting in the name of the Catholic Church, (priests, deacon, employee or volunteer), please call the Diocesan Pastoral Assistance Coordina-tor, using the dedicated confidential phone-line (270-852-8380) as well as the Diocesan web site (www.owensborodiocese.org/safe).
† SACRAMENTS † † Reconciliation: Confessions will be heard Saturday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM and Wednesday at 4:30 PM. Confessions will be heard by appointment as well.
† Baptism: Baptismal Preparation Class - Our next class will be announced. Please call the Parish Office to register.
† Marriage: Contact the Office six months prior to the desired date.
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Parish Pastoral Council
Dee Dailey, Chair & Worship..….………[email protected] Jan Buckner, Vice Chair & Family [email protected] Fran Marko, Secretary…………………………[email protected]
Jeff Lansford, Spiritual Life………………[email protected] Lana Bastin, Administration ………………[email protected] Libby Downs, Pastoral Associate ………[email protected] Missy Craft, Social Concerns.………[email protected] Robert Tyree, Education….……………[email protected] Stephanie Blankenberger, Principal [email protected]
PARISH OFFICE — 270-885-8522 Tom Buehrle, Director Of Stewardship ………………….. [email protected] Brenda Chaudoin, Office Manager…ext 3105…….. [email protected] Libby Downs, Pastoral Associate....ext 3103…........ [email protected] Financial Assistance …………………………………...……...270-886-6027 Steve Kinnard, Maintenance Foreman...ext [email protected] Angie Phillips, Sts. Peter and Paul Thrift Store Mgr…………..270-632-1037 Mayra Tirado, Hispanic Ministry Asst...ext 3102…[email protected] Sue Wassmer, Secretary…ext 3100……………[email protected] Dan Wilkinson, Music Director...ext 3104………[email protected]
SCHOOL OFFICE — 270-886-0172
Stephanie Blankenberger, Principal...ext 3213 [email protected] Jennifer Groves, Secretary...ext [email protected]
MINISTRY TO THE SICK
Please notify the Parish Office upon admission of a family member into any hospital or nursing home. Any parishioner who is ill or infirm may request anointing in an emergency by
calling the Parish Office, 270-885-8522.
PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
This is a devotion whereby members of the parish unite in adopting certain hours of Adoration before the Most Blessed Sacrament during the day and throughout the night, seven days a week. (Code required.) There is a regular schedule of ador-ers but all are welcome to stop in for a visit. Parishioners are encouraged to sign up for a scheduled weekly Adoration time. Please contact Bill & Jenny Rush at 270-885-2888, if you are interested in adopting an hour or if you can be a substitute or prayer partner Available hours: Monday 3pm, Wednesday 5 pm, Thursday 4am & 5 pm. We need a Captain for 7 am. Please help!!
SCHOOL NEWS Employment Opportunities for 2021-2022 School Year!
Tickets will be on sale after Masses the weekends of 4/24-4/25, 5/1-5/2 or can also be purchased from any SPPS student.
1st graders testing the functions of the Flower Stem.
Preschool friends!
APRIL 25, 2021 • FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER 3
Fr. Carl McCarthy – May 27, 1995; Christ the King Parish, 1600 Kingsway Drive, Madisonville, KY 42431
Fr. Basilio Az Cuc – May 28, 2016; Saint Joseph Parish, 434 Church Street, Bowling Green, KY 42101
Fr. John Thomas – May 29, 1993; Holy Spirit Parish, 4754 Smallhouse Road, Bowling Green, KY 42104
Fr. Uwem Enoh – May 29, 2010; Chaplain, U.S. Air Force
Fr. Larry Hostetter – May 30, 1987; Brescia University, 717 Frederica St., Owensboro, KY 42301
Fr. Daniel Dillard – May 30, 2009; St. Mary Parish, P.O. Box 388, Franklin, KY 42135
Fr. Joshua McCarty – May 30, 2009; St. Joseph Parish, 113 South 3rd Street, Central City, KY 42330
Fr. Michael Charles Ajigo Abiero – May 31, 2015; Saints Peter and Paul
Fr. Julio Barrera – June 1, 2013, Saints Joseph & Paul Par-ish; 609 E. 4th St., Owensboro, KY 42303
Fr. Richard Meredith – June 3, 1978; Saints Peter and Paul, Hopkinsville
Upcoming Special Collections: This weekend, April 24th and 25th there is a Special Collection envelope in your packet for the “Catholic Home Missions Appeal”. This
appeal helps not only the Diocese of Owensboro but other mission dio-ceses throughout the country. Cath-olic Home Missions provides funding
to the Archdiocese of the Military, so that our servicemen and women have the comfort of their faith away from home. Please be as generous as you can.
Mothers Day: Sunday, May 9th is Mother’s Day. Have you planned on what you will do to show your mother how thankful you are to have her? Did you get a Spiritual Bouquet card for her? Some great ideas are: have the children make cards for her, get her flowers, take her out to dinner or better yet, make dinner for her. If she is deceased, have you put flowers on her grave lately? Have you prayed for your mother? Have you had a Mass said for your mother? Have you told your mother how much she means to you? What do you want to do to express to your mother your thankfulness and gratitude?
World Day of Prayer for Vocations – Good Shepherd Sunday – Sunday, April 25, 2021. The purpose of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations is to publically fulfill
the Lord's instruc-tion to, "Pray the Lord of the har-vest to send la-borers into his harvest" (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2). As a climax to a pray-er that is continu-
ally offered throughout the Church, it affirms the primacy of faith and grace in all that concerns vocations to the priesthood and to the consecrated life. Please pray that young men and women hear and respond generously to the Lord's call to the priesthood, diaconate, religious life, societies of apostolic life or secu-lar institutes. What are some things we can specifically for our priests.
Pray for Priests and Religious who have ministered to you throughout your life, both living and dead.
Pray a rosary for Priests and Religious and for more young men and women in our diocese to respond to God’s call.
Encourage your children, grandchildren, or other young people to consider a vocation as a priest or religious brother or sister.
Offer a Mass for Priests and Religious
Remember our Priests on the anniversary of their ordi-nation.
Pray the Rosary for the Priests in Your Life: When pray-ing the rosary, offer the first decade for the priest who baptized you, the second decade for the priest who gave you first Communion, the third decade for the bishop who confirmed you, the fourth decade for the priest who wit-nessed your marriage or the bishop who ordained you (or will do so in the future), and the fifth decade for the priest who will anoint you at your death.
Priests Anniversaries: Below you will find the names of those priests who have served here at Saints Peter and Paul or will serve here or are members of our parish family who will be celebrating anni-versaries during the month of May. We have also included their current mailing address in case you wish to send a card to them.
Fr. Carmelo Jimenez – April 25, 1999, St. Michael Parish, P.O. Box 705, Sebree, KY 42455
Bishop William Francis Medley – May 22, 1982; McRaith Catholic Center, 600 Locust Street, Owensboro, KY 42301
Fr. Al Bremer – May 25, 2002; Saint Thomas More Parish, 5645 Blandville Road, Paducah, KY 42001
Fr. Richard Cash – May 27, 1989, Chaplain, Carmel Home, 2501 Old Hartford Road, Owensboro, KY 42303
Let us not forget the loved ones of our deployed military personnel.
Pray without ceasing.
SS PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, HOPKINSVILLE, KY 4
Sympathy: We pray for our parishioner, Isabel Smith who passed away on Saturday, April 17th at her home at the
age of 81. Isabel "Mrs. Lee" Naputi (LuJan) Smith, is a native of Agana, Guam, where she was born November 4, 1939, the daughter of the late Juan C. LuJan and the late Maria Naputi. Isabel worked at Flynn Enterprise for over 20 years. In addition to her par-ents, she was preceded in death by her
husband, Robert Gerald Smith. Survivors include her sons, Robert (Debbie) Smith and Bo (Lisa) Smith, her daughters, Janice Marie Smith, Diana Jean (Kim) Tuck of Elizabeth-town and Sharon Smith; 21 grandchildren and 53 great-grandchildren. A private family service will be held on Saturday, April 24, 2021 at Lamb Funeral Home.
As a parish we offer our prayers for the Smith family we pray to God “May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.”
May Crowning Date: Saints Peter and Paul parish will honor Mary on Sunday, May 2nd with the May Crowning procession from the 10:30 a.m. Mass (as well as the 2:00 p.m. Mass) to the statue of our Blessed Virgin Mary. You are invited to gath-er near Mary’s Statue outside and join in and assist us in crowning Mary and honoring her as the Mother of Jesus and our Mother. You are encouraged to bring flowers from home to honor her. We also invite you to have a picture of Mary in your home and place flowers next to this picture throughout the month of May. Mother’s Day: Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 9th. Once again this year we are offering Mother’s Day Spiritual
Bouquet Mass Cards. The packet in-cludes one card and envelope to be sent to your mother as we honor all mothers for their many blessings to our lives. The second envelope contained in this packet needs to be completed and sent to the church. Please include
your loved one’s name and your name and address. For your convenience, these Mother’s Day Mass Cards will be available in the narthex after all Masses. High School Graduation Mass –As a parish we will honor our high school graduates on Sunday, May 16th at the 10:30 a.m. Mass. A reception for our graduates and their families will follow in the narthex. If you would like to as-sist with this reception, please see Lib-by. *Graduates don’t forget to bring to the parish office a picture (one wallet size for a bulletin insert – needed by Tuesday, May 11th and a 5 X 7 or larger by Friday, May 14th for display in the narthex).
More information is being mailed to you this week. The graduates we have include: Chase Atkins, Molly Bennett, Ryan Carlton, Karenna Chaudoin, Mason Chavez, James Folz, Rosa Galvan-Crisostomo, Lukas Hall, Cassie Marcos-Hernandez, Maria Jimenez, Daniel Lopez-Hernandez, Juan Lopez-Rodriguez, Nayelli Macario, Grace Pape, Kylee Spurr, Maggie Unfried, Lupita Vieyra and Sara Whitman. Please help us. If you have a graduate and their name is not in-cluded, please let Libby know as soon as possible.
Devotional Candles: Reminder: When lighting a devo-tional candle (red, blue or white), please discard your match in the tray beside the stand. When you place the match in the candle, it burns the side of the plastic con-tainer and can become a fire hazard. We also re-mind you that according to the Fire Marshall we are not allowed to burn the “decorative glass candles” purchased from Wal-Mart or other retail stores because they are not fire retardant. Thank you. Spiritual Adoption – It has been one month – March 25th – since The Annunciation of our Lord, the day the Angel Ga-
briel appeared to Mary and told her she would be the mother of Our Lord. Each of us here at Saints Peter and Paul Parish were given an opportunity to Spiritually Adopt a child at
risk to be born. How is it going? Did you name your ba-by? Are you praying every day for this child? April – Month One – Developing Baby - Your spiritually adopted baby has been quite active over the past month. Already your baby is 10,000 times bigger than at concep-tion. Your baby has developed the foundations of her brain, spinal cord and nervous system by the 20th day. Her heart began to beat on the 21st day, pumping blood through its own circulatory system and the blood type can be different from her mother’s. Your baby is most vulnera-ble during the next month of being aborted. Pray that the Lord of Life might move the heart of her mother to give her the most precious gift of all – the gift of life. Dear Lord, Prepare me for the coming week. Take away my worries and my regrets. Re-charge my soul and renew my hope. Please go before me, clear the way and protect me. Bring the right people into my life. Help me to look for and always see the good in others. Guide me with Your love and give me Your joy. Bless my family and friends and be with them this week. In your name, I pray. Amen.
APRIL 25, 2021 • FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER 5
Mass Intentions
Readings for the week of April 25, 2021 Sunday: Acts 4:8-12/Ps 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29/1 Jn 3:1-2/Jn 10:11-18 Monday: Acts 11:1-18/Ps 42:2-3; 43:3, 4/ Jn 10:1-10 Tuesday: Acts 11:19-26/Ps 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7/ Jn 10:22-30 Wednesday: Acts 12:24-13:5a/Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6 and 8/ Jn 12:44-50 Thursday: Acts 13:13-25/Ps 89:2-3, 21-22, 25 and 27/Jn 13:16-20 Friday: Acts 13:26-33/Ps 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab/ Jn 14:1-6 Saturday: Acts 13:44-52/Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 / Jn 14:7-14 St. Joseph the Worker: Gn 1:26-2:3 or Col 3:14-15, 17, 23-24/ Ps 90:2, 3-4, 12-13, 14 and 16/ Mt 13:54-58 Next Sunday: Acts 9:26-31/Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31- 32/1 Jn 3:18-24/Jn 15:1-8 LPI ©
Mon, April 26
8:00 am PAULA & ALEX M. ANDERSON
Tue, April 27
8:00 am
BENNY DEANGELIS (DECEASED) &
ANGELA DEANGELIS
Wed, April 28
ST. PETER CHANEL &
ST. LOUIS GRINGION DE MONTFORT
8:00 am SHARON MOSELEY
5:30 pm † ALL SOULS IN PURGATORY Thu, April 29 ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA
8:00 am †
GEORGE & LOUISE
MCSHANE BROCKMAN
5:30 pm Spanish † MARIA ANGEL
Fri, April 30 ST. PIUS V
8:00 am CPT. JOHN POTTER
Sat, May 1 ST. JOSEPH, THE WORKER
8:00 am † HAROLD SOUILLIARD
5:00 pm † ROBERT VIALL
Sun, May 2 FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
8:00 am MARIA CREIGHTON
10:30 am † CHRISTINE MILLS
2:00 pm Spanish † ALEJANDRO ZARATE
10:30 pm Spanish FOR ALL THE PEOPLE
† Indicates Requiem Mass
SANCTUARY LAMP
IN MEMORY GEORGE & MARY MACIAS
ADORATION CHAPEL CANDLES
IN HONOR OF PAUL & WINTER RUSH
Calendar April 26-May 2
“Thinking of You” Cards: We need your HELP! Please help us bring joy to some of our home-bound folks and those who are experiencing difficult times. All are Hopkinsville addresses unless otherwise stated. 1. Jerry Adams, 109 Windsor Drive 2. John & Margie Cook, 5270 Hopkinsville Mt Zoar Rd 3. Edward Diaz, 2607 Cayce Meade Drive; Apt. 6 4. Jennifer and Chris Diedrich, 3732 Pembroke Road With Easter Joy we are continuing our Weekly Food Donations to the Aaron McNeil Center. They are continuing to be in need of sweet peas. All items can be placed in the barrel in the coat closet near the restrooms. Thank you so much for your generosity. College Students: A number of our college students are in the midst of final papers, projects due as well as their upcoming final exams. Let us keep them in our prayers this week.
Tues Knights Social-Off Campus-6 pm Wed Rosary Makers-8:45 am, HFR Choirs-5:30 pm Spanish, 6:30 pm English MS/HS Religious Ed. Class-5:30 pm Thu Finance Comm– Noon, HFR RCIA, 6:30 p.m. OA Sun PSR-Pre-K thru 5th Grade Class, 9am Parish Holy Hour-4 pm
Donor trees offer a unique way to recognize a special per-son or persons in our lives by making a monetary gift to our school. These expressions of love and gratitude are individu-ally inscribed designed and placed on the wall in the form of a tree—a tree that repre-sents the past, the present, and the future of Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church and School. Leaves, acorns, and doves can recognize, but not lim-ited to, the following: Alumni, Baptisms, Births, Birthdays, Children, Confirmations, Engagements, First Communion, Deceased, Graduations, Grandchildren, Military, Parents, Quinceañeras, SPPS Clas-ses, and Weddings A leaf costs $200. An acorn costs $300. A dove costs $500. We hope you will join us in leaving your legacy so that we can continue ours.
SS PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, HOPKINSVILLE, KY 6
4 Habits: Our lives change when our habits change. There are four habits that everyone who wants to grow spiritually practices. Practice these four habits every-day: Prayer; Study; Generosity; and Evangelization. 1. Pray 10 minutes every day in the classroom of silence
(Practice the Prayer Process). 2. Read 15 minutes every day learning more about our
faith; a chapter a day of the New Testament or another spiritual book. Be a student of Jesus and his Church.
3. Make Generosity a way of life. Practice sharing your time, talent and treasure with others every day.
4. Do something or say something every day to share the Catholic faith with someone.
Please Pray for All Deployed Military & Families
In Need of Prayers… Carriage Way Assisted Living- Albert Weakly.. Western State Nursing Facility- Debbie Dickerson, Ellen Jones.. Christian Health Center- Lillian Cotthoff, Norma Downs… Morningside of Hopkinsville- Thelma Budias.. Others.. Pat Abel, Helen Allard, Dick & Jackie Arnold, Dennis & Sabrina Baker, Sherry Beck, Sue Boguskie, Ruth Britt, Helen Brown, Judy Brum-mett, Bart Brunson, Teresa Burnside, Sherry Calhoun, Sam Chesnut, Ken Cunningham, Jackie Custer, Lynn Delaney, Norma Folz, Martha Fowler, Nancy Freeman, Ron & Janice Godot, Scott Godot, Bill Hancock, Hope Hancock, William Hancock, Jan Hinkle, Tina Pease Holder, Joy Moseley Housley, Heather Jeffries, Carol Johnson, Rod Johnson, Greg Jones, Olivia & Lillian Jones, Tony Jones, Charlie Keel, Suzanne Knappe, Joe Kukral, Jane Lucas, June Mahoney, John & Cheryl Mezzoni, Joe Mezzoni Sr., Jim Mi-lazzo, Andy & Carol Moran, Sharon Moseley, Jason Oldham, Pam Oliver, Cecelia Omundson, Aaron, Orlane & Elisabeth Pattee, Teresa Pazin, Maddox Pepper, Beth Pictor, Rachel Pictor, Brenda & Dennis Poteet, Emily Pyle, Evelyn Raney, Martha Reed, Tara & Dylan Rush, Jerry Russell, Carol Schowe, Mary Jean Schowe, Ryan Semrau, Simning Family, Trinity Simmon, Mary Catherine Smith, Rocky Spader, Marilyn & Mike Stocker, Georgiann Sves-tka, Mary Swicicki, Ron Todd, Charles Watzek, Nancy Webb, Dan Weinzapfel, Carolyn Wilson, Helen Winstead, Pamela Mez-zoni Wofford, Sandy Wood, Rose Yurkovic, Arthur Zaragozo & Family.
LAY MINISTERS MAY 1 AND 2 — FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Saturday, 5:00 pm Altar Servers .......................................................... Sherry Viall Commentator ............................................................ Robert Hill Lectors ...................................................................Robert Hill Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers: ........................ Julie Tiell Choir Loft................................................................................. Ushers ................................................... Ken Tiell, Sandi Velez ....................................................... Pat Puckett, Bobbi Goulet
Vocational Cross ..................................................... Pat Puckett Sunday, 8:00 am
Altar Servers .................... Elizabeth Stevens, Aaron Stevens Commentator ....................................................... Ann Williams Lectors ....................................Ann Williams, Diana France Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers: ............... Carolyn Spurr Choir Loft ...................................................... Kylee Spurr Ushers ................................................. David Folz, Dennis Folz ................................................................... Triston Folz, Eli Folz Vocational Cross ..................................................... Pat Shields
Sunday, 10:30 am
Altar Servers ........................ Mason Malone, Taylor Malone Commentator .................................................... Russell Malone Lectors ................................ Russell Malone, Leigh Malone Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers: ........ Michael Anderson Choir Loft ............................................................................ Ushers .................................... Billy Garnett, Lindsey Garnett ............................................. Bruce Wilcox, Steve Greenwell Vocational Cross ........................ Karla and Tommy Wagner
Domingo 2:00 pm Comentarista: .................................................. Pedro Rodríguez 1-2 Lectura: ................... Pedro Rodríguez, Catalina Macias Ministro E: ............................................................. Yolanda Perry Hospitalidad: ..................... Chano Vieyra, Victor Hernández Monaguillos: .....................................................................................
Ordination to the Priesthood: We are pleased to an-nounce that Dcn. Corey D. Bruns will be ordained a priest for the diocese on May 22 at 10 AM at Saint Stephen Cathedral. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, this will be an invitation-only event; therefore this celebration is NOT open to the general public. Please remember to keep Dcn. Corey in your prayers.
Budget News April 18, 2021
Contributing Households
Envelopes 47 $4,776
Online Donations/EFT 38 $8,892
Loose collection Cash $545
Loose collection Checks 19 $2,250
Weekly Total 104 $16,463
Weekly Parish Budget Needs $18,614
2020/21 Diocesan Assessment due 6/2021 $64,191
Important Dates
First Holy Communion Prayer Day: Saturday, May 29th beginning at 9:00 a.m.
First Communion Celebration: Sunday, May 30th at 4:00 p.m.
+ + + + + + +
Confirmation Rehearsal Wednesday, May 26th at 6:30 p.m.
Confirmation Celebration Wednesday, June 2nd at 5:30 p.m.
APRIL 25, 2021 • FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Pastor’s Greeting THE SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP The Fourth Sunday of Easter al-ways has a gospel text from John 10 in which Jesus uses imagery deriving from the interrelationship of shepherd and sheep. It is in John 10:11-18 that Jesus
refers to himself as the good shepherd. The gospels of Matthew, Luke and John all bear witness to Jesus having taught using the imagery of shepherd and sheep. Even Mark describes Jesus himself as having pity on the crowd “for they were like sheep without a shepherd.” The image-ry would have been familiar to all of Palestine in Jesus’ day, as would imagery of farming, fishing, and the various scenes of daily life upon which Jesus drew. It seems a bit curious to me that Jesus illustrates his teaching only once, to my knowledge, with an example from his own trade, i.e., carpentry or construction. He concludes the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:24-27) pointing out that the wisdom of building a house on a rock foundation is like building one’s life upon his words. Then again, his most significant teach-ing, largely without words, employed wood, i.e., his totally obedient submission to the Father’s will on the wood of the Cross. Shepherding, though, draws on and suggests allusions to his relationship to David, Israel’s greatest of kings. These allusions have the humblest of political overtones, deriving as they do from the humble origins of David. As Servant of God, Jesus brings the shepherding role of David’s heir to perfection. He seeks the lost, heals the wounded, carries their load, leads them in and out (he’s the very gate) to good pasture, drives away the wolves, leads them calling each by name, even gives his life for them, and, ultimately, gives them eternal life. As the Son of God, Jesus goes com-pletely beyond every virtue of the best of earthly shep-herds, for he is not motivated by a shepherd’s need to ben-efit from the sheep. God derives no benefit from humanity and has no need of humanity at all; cannot profit from them in any way. God’s motive for creating and shepherding us is only divine goodness and self-less love. The only beneficiary of God’s love for humanity is humanity itself. Better still, God loves each human being for itself, not as part of a collection. All of God, loves each one completely and distinctly. God is not in any way diminished by the vast number or diluted by the expanse of the whole universe. All of God is every-where and every-when undiminished, wholly and personally present, knowing and loving, inescapable. That this Triune God is, in the Second Divine Person, incarnate in a complete human nature, local in time and place before the resurrection, without in any way diminish-ing what has just been said, and that he remains local in the Blessed Sacrament (Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity) divinely undiminished, exceeds the capacity of the human mind to grasp but not beyond our capacity to assent to the truth revealed. This means that the Good Shepherd is especially and personally present to each believer who receives him in faith. “I know mine,” he said, “and mine know me.” Christ Jesus as God personally present to me does not in any way
diminish his total personal presence to anyone else or di-minish his presence as Creator to all of created reality. This is revealed in Jesus Christ. What can become a theological abstraction of thought is brought to earth by Jesus’ talk of the shepherd who lives with his sheep. These noisy, smelly, needy, dependent creatures require much personal care and the around the clock presence of their shepherds. Earthly shepherds need the fleece, wool, milk, and meat of their flock to sustain themselves and their flocks. Not so the Lord Jesus Christ. In Divine freedom he made us; in that same freedom he loves us; in that same love he gives himself to us and welcomes our gift of self to him that we might share his joy. It was David, it seems, who first described the God of Israel, his God, as his shepherd. He knew how small, needy, defenseless, and weak he was of himself. What we number as Psalm 23 is David’s prayer-song to God. In his humanity, Jesus sang the same prayer-song to God his Father and he teaches us to sing the same prayer-song to God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Toward each other, the Risen Lord invites us to share his shepherding ministry in each other’s regard and with the same heart. Fr. Richard
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
FOR THE 2021 WORLD DAY OF VOCATIONS
25 April 2021 Saint Joseph: The Dream of Vocation
God looks on the heart (cf. 1 Sam 16:7), and in Saint Jo-seph he recognized the heart of a father, able to give and generate life in the midst of daily routines. Vocations have this same goal: to beget and renew lives every day. The Lord desires to shape the hearts of fathers and mothers: hearts that are open, capable of great initiatives, gener-ous in self-giving, compassionate in comforting anxieties and steadfast in strengthening hopes. The priesthood and the consecrated life greatly need these qualities nowa-days, in times marked by fragility but also by the suffer-ings due to the pandemic, which has spawned uncertainties and fears about the future and the very meaning of life. Saint Joseph comes to meet us in his gentle way, as one of “the saints next door”. At the same time, his strong witness can guide us on the journey. Saint Joseph suggests to us three key words for each individual’s vocation. The first is dream. Everyone dreams of finding fulfilment in life. We rightly nurture great hopes, lofty aspirations that ephemeral goals – like success, mon-ey and entertainment – cannot satisfy. If we were to ask people to express in one word their life’s dream, it would not be difficult to imagine the answer: “to be loved”. It is love that gives meaning to life, because it reveals life’s mystery. Indeed, we only have life if we give it; we truly possess it only if we generously give it away. Saint Joseph has much to tell us in this regard, because, through the dreams that God inspired in him, he made of his life a gift.
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