Today, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, is perhaps better called Good Shepherd Sunday, as today Christ says in John’s Gospel, “I am the Good Shepherd.” This beautiful image of Jesus, the Good Shepherd is one of the most beloved of all images. In our church our stained-glass windows only contain two  depictions of Jesus, one of them being that of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Of course, the idea of a  shepherd leaving the ninety-nine behind to go in search of one that is lost makes no sense on a human  level,  yet God’s love for us is so unimaginable that he confounds our human reason with his divine  love.  This is beautifully expressed by St. John, who, in our second reading for today says, “Beloved: See 
what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.” I ask all of you to reflect on these words during this Easter Season and thank God for this incredible gift of adoption as his children.
Speaking of Children of God, please mark your calendars for two important upcoming events. On Saturday, May 4, we will welcome  Bishop Pohlmeier to our 5 p.m. Mass when four young ladies from our parish will receive the sacrament of Confirmation. We will have a reception for these newly confirmed afterwards in the parish hall. The following day, Sunday, May 5, five of our young children will  receive their First Holy Communion at the 11:30 Mass. As you know, the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist are called the sacraments of initiation and represent important milestones in our journey of faith. Please keep these and all our children in your prayers that by the grace of the sacraments their faith may grow stronger each day.
May God continue to bless all of you abundantly during this holy season!
Fr. Sebastian