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"Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime." – Martin Luther King Jr.

At this special time of year, we have books to inspire and delight you. Accompany your little ones 'On the Road to Emmaus' or through 'Via Lucis: The Way of the Light'. Or perhaps, reflect with Fr Michael on the Gospel resurrection narratives in 'Alive'.

The Good Shepherd calls us to care and be cared for

The Good Shepherd calls us to care and be cared for

Posted: Mon, 27 Apr 2020 17:57

The Good Shepherd calls us to care and be cared for

A reflection on the Gospel for 4th Sunday of Easter, by Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy SDB.

Image by Bernardette Lopez via Qumran2

John 10: 1-10 I have come that you may have life and have it to the full.

On this Good Shepherd Sunday we are reminded of the strength of Jesus as a teacher and his use of parables to make his point. He is talking to an audience who will naturally understand his thinking and make the connections: sheep are all around them! Jesus is presented as the shepherd who actually cares, not like the casual worker who is only in it for the money. Jesus call us to a FULLNESS of life that he shares with each of us through the glory of resurrection. We achieve glory through enduring the pain and suffering of Good Friday, but glory is ours for the taking.

The challenge of these past few weeks is to face up to that call to receive LIFE. In lockdown, pain and hurt it is not always easy to have a sense of life. In pre-Corvid-19 days, the consumer society told us we needed the latest gadget, gismo or sports' attire. Advertisers tempted us with this special offer or that limited time sale. Jesus tells us today that we need to get our lives into order and de-clutter. Perhaps this enforced isolation has prompted you to tidy up and get rid of that useless "stuff" they you bought on impulse and have never used! Whatever you think about isolation, I hope it has helped you to get your priorities right.

Jesus saw that it is through care that we build the Church up. The Good Shepherd spends countless hours in caring; it's a 24/7 existence and one that is probably all too familiar at these times. This pandemic has shown us WHO is important in our lives and not WHAT is "essential". I pray that this Gospel helps us to care for those we live with; as we are seeing far more of them than we usually do, may this enhance our relationships rather than hurt them. It is also essential to remember that YOU need to be open to be cared for too. We must not think that we are above this, especially if we are constantly giving; you cannot pour from an empty jug so the Gospel Is a challenge to ensure we manage our own well-being because, sometimes, even those we live with just do not notice. We have prayed during Lent "by his wounds we have been healed"; the wounded and broken body of Jesus is the one who gives us LIFE and ensures that we have it to the FULL.

Fr Gerry SDB

Tags: Gospel, Homepage, Salesian Spirituality, Salesian Youth Ministry, Salesians of Don Bosco