Fourth Sunday of Easter

The Good Shepherd
The Fourth Sunday of Easter is Good Shepherd Sunday since the gospel reading is the parable of the Good Shepherd. In the gospel of John, Jesus uses the image of a good shepherd when teaching his disciples. “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.” The image of the good shepherd reveals Jesus’ mission in the world. Although this image might not be as common nowadays, we can easily imagine the shepherd as the caregiver and the sheep as the ones who are cared for. Jesus is the good shepherd; he is not only a shepherd but the good shepherd. If we apply this parable to our context, Jesus is the good shepherd and we are the sheep. Jesus’s mission as the good shepherd is to unite, feed, care for, know, and love all his sheep. The good shepherd unites his sheep into one fold. In the same way, Jesus unites the people into one Church. Jesus gathers us every Sunday as one Parish Church. We come together to be united in prayer with our community. We are also united with our local Church in Chicago, and the universal Church around the world. Jesus unites us as one Church with common principles, values, and beliefs.
• Jesus, the Good Shepherd wants us to be one with him and with the Church. The good shepherd feeds his sheep just as Jesus gives the Church food for eternal life. Every time we come to Mass; we are fed spiritually by the sacrament of the Eucharist. The Eucharist is food for eternal life.
• Jesus is always caring for the Church as the good shepherd cares for his sheep. He’s always there in our need. Every day we receive gifts from God, which are signs of his loving care. Jesus cares for all of us as the shepherd cares for his sheep.
• The good shepherd knows his sheep, in the same way that Jesus knows us personally. Jesus wants us to have a personal relationship with him. When we were baptized, we were introduced into the life of God, which brings us ever closer to him.
• The good shepherd loves his sheep as Jesus loves the Church. He wants our good to the point that he is willing to die for our sake. He loves us and invites us to share in his eternal life.

Today Jesus is helping us to understand who he is. He is the good shepherd, the one who unites, feeds, cares for, knows, and loves. We are to imitate him in our daily lives.

Vocations
The World Day of Prayer for vocations is observed on Good Shepherd Sunday. Saint Paul the VI established the World Day of Prayer for Vocations during the Second Vatican Council in 1964. The whole Church prays that young men and women hear and respond generously to the Lord's call to the priesthood, diaconate, and consecrated life. A vocation is God’s call to serve him in the world; it is a gift God gives to every person, which is a source of happiness and true joy. A vocation might imply a divine call to live a religious life, but we all have one calling in our lives, which is holiness. Holiness looks different depending on one’s specific vocation. There are four distinct types of vocations in the Church: religious life, priesthood, married life, and single life. Through these vocations, we can serve others and find fulfillment in our lives. On the World Day of Prayer for vocations, we are invited to center our hearts on the awareness of vocations within our families and our parish communities.

On this Sunday, the Church in Chicago prays for vocations to the priesthood, consecrated life, and permanent diaconate. Also, on Friday, May 10, the Vocation Office will host Mass and a Eucharistic Holy Hour for all vocations: marriage, single life, lay vocations, ordained, and consecrated life. Let us also pray for those preparing for ordination to the diaconate and priesthood in our archdiocese. This Sunday, let us especially pray for vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and consecrated life.

“O Jesus, divine Shepherd of souls, you called the apostles and made them fishers of men. Continue to draw to yourself ardent and generous souls from among the young, in order to make them your followers and your ministers. Give them a share in your thirst for the redemption of all… Open before them the horizons of the entire world… By responding to your call, may they prolong your mission here on earth, build up your Mystical Body which is the Church, and be ‘the salt of the earth’ and ‘the light of the world’ (Mt 5:13)”.

Peace
Fr. Lara

Recognize God in Your Oridinary Moments - By Colleen Jurkiewicz Dorman
The Good Shepherd and the Wolf
I remember very clearly the first movie I watched during my pregnancy with my eldest child. In this film, there is a scene where a young boy is kidnapped and shoved into the back of a van guarded by vicious dogs. His mother persists in trying to free him, even as the dogs snap at her. Their bared teeth and full-throated snarls don’t slow her efforts in the slightest.

It wasn’t a great movie or even a particularly great scene, but I’ll never forget this scene. I’ll never forget those dogs.

I had just learned that I was a mother a few days before. The life growing deep within seemed to me as frail as a whispered secret, but I loved it powerfully. I worried constantly if the baby was safe and healthy. I agonized over signs—real or imagined—that could tell me if the poppyseed- sized child was thriving or failing.

I understood, for the first time in my life, why a woman would charge a pack of attack dogs without hesitation—not because she should, but because she has to.

She could choose not to fight, certainly. She could walk away. But why would she? A future without her son is so much more painful than any physical wound. She may fear for her life, but she fears a life without her child so much more.

The Good Shepherd discourse reveals to us the motivation behind God’s actions throughout all of salvation history. From Adam to Noah to Abraham, all the way down to the time of the Messiah and beyond, He keeps trying to get us back. He keeps braving the attack dogs, time after time. He never stops. He never grows weary. And it baffles us: What’s in it for Him? we wonder, because we are quicker to give up on ourselves than He is. Why does He keep trying?

He could choose not to fight, sure. But why would He? He doesn’t want a future without us.

“I will lay down my life for the sheep.” — John 10:11
©LPi

The Holy Father's Intentions for April

For the Role of Women
Let us pray that the dignity and worth of women be recognized in every culture, and for an end to the discrimination they face in various parts of the world.

Honor Our Military

Please take time to give thanks for those who have served and are serving in our military and to pray for the safety of those who may currently be in harm’s way. In a special way, we thank and pray for these parishioners and relatives of parishioners.
Dear God,
We pray in gratitude for all of those who have defended peace, virtue, and justice with honor. We pray especially for those who have suffered in mind and body from the ravages of war. May Your peace reign in our hearts and in our world. Amen.

He Who Sacrificed His Life
†CHRISTOPHER ZIMNY

Those Still Serving
JAY MARTIN, Nephew of Becky and Tom Brennan
JESSICA CAMERON, Niece of the Cameron Family
JOHN PODCZASKI, Grandson of Genevieve Podczaski
STEVEN TUMBARELLO, Son of Sylvia & Vince Tumbarello
CRAIG BEHRENDT, Grand-nephew of Sister Mary Helen
DANIEL BELZER, Nephew of Dave & Bev Belzer
MICHAEL KELLY, Nephew of Kevin and Kathy Kelly
MATTHEW NEUBAUER, Nephew of Dan & Judy Neubauer EUGENE WALL, Nephew of Suzanne Lessner
NAILL SWIDER, Grand-nephew of Alice Swider
BRYAN DUFF, Son of Julie Duff
RYAN BLOCHBERGER, Nephew of Mae Grady
TIMOTHY DWORKIN, Grandson of Barbara Bouska
ALEXIS GONZALES, Great-niece of Eden & Lyle Gonzales-Nemzin
JACK MAHON, JR., Son of Jack, Sr. & Eileen Mahon
MICHAEL FOLEY
JOHN FOLEY
PETER MULLER
DANIEL FRAYNA
JOSEPH GULLO
SANG HOON LEE
ANTHONY PALMERO
MORRIS COREY MCMAHON, SON OF CHRIS & JULIE MCMAHON
RYAN FONTILLAS
JOHN A. STONIS, GRANDSON OF JOHN & DOROTHY STONIS
MICHAEL T. HEHN, GRANDSON OF JOHN & DOROTHY STONIS

To add or remove someone, please send the person’s name and relationship (optional) to bulletin@stcatherinelaboure.com

Please Pray for Ukraine

For our sisters and brothers involved in or affected by the war and devastation in Ukraine-- the deceased, the injured, the frightened, the displaced, the fighters, the protesters, the leaders. May God give them solace, healing, comfort, and hearts and minds directed toward peace.
Donations can be made here:

Knights of Columbus: https://www.kofc.org/secure/en/donate/ukraine.html

Caritas: https://www.caritas.org/

Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philidelphia: https://ukrarcheparchy.us

"May the Queen of Peace preserve the world from the madness of war" - Pope Francis

Neighbors of other Faiths
The Golden Rule

Excerpted from charterforcompassion.org/the-golden-rule-in-seven-major-religions
We may speak of great differences in religious beliefs and forms of worship around the world. Called by an endless number of names, all, however, recognize and worship a Supreme Being. And all religions, somewhere in their sacred literature, expound the fundamental philosophy of the Golden Rule.

Buddhism: Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.
~ Buddha, Undanavarga 5:18

Christianity: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that all men should do to you, do ye even so to them.
~ Matthew 7:12

Confucianism: What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
~ Confucius, Analects 15:23

Hinduism: Good people proceed while considering what is best for others is best for themselves.
~ Hitopadesa

Islamism: No one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
~ Mohammed, Traditions

Judaism: And thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
~ Leviticus 19:18

Zoroastrianism: Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.
~ Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29