by Faith Central & Steve Welsh
“Shepherd of Souls, Refresh and Bless,” melody: St. Agnes, lyrics by Anonymous/ James Montgomery (lived in 18th/19th centuries), performed by Cantor Danielle Svonavec at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana), 2013.
“Shepherd of Souls, refresh and bless
Your chosen pilgrim flock
with manna in the wilderness,
with water from the rock. …”
“#Easter’s empty tomb is a call to #conversion. By this tomb, we should know for certain that #God has made #Jesus both #Lord and #Messiah ….”
“… One of the main works of a shepherd is to guide the sheep. If we are on the road to eternal life, we are on a rough and narrow road …”
“… What about us? Hopefully we do understand what #Jesus is trying to tell us. We heard at the end of the first reading from St. Peter’s letter: “… you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. Shepherding connotes actions like guarding, mentoring, guiding, providing for and protecting those in one’s care. We can see that richness in the metaphors of psalm 23, where the shepherd provides water and green pasture for his flock, is a guide who knows and leads them safely even through dark valleys. Then is a host who prepares a meal for his guests and offers them hospitality for the rest of their lives.
The Son of God incarnate, Jesus of Nazareth, fulfilled all of these roles in his earthly life and continues to do so now seated in glory. He also invites each of us to follow his example of self-emptying in order to rise to that new full life he promised to give. …”
#Catholic #TV #Mass Readings and Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, May 7, 2017, from EWTN in Alabama. [Click here for Mass Readings]
“When Jesus presented himself as the Good Shepherd, he referred to a long biblical tradition, with which his disciples and the other auditors were already familiar. The God of Israel, in fact, had always revealed himself as the Good Shepherd of his people. He had listened to its complaints, he had freed it from the land of servitude and, in his goodness, he had guided the people he saved during its long and hard march in the desert towards the promised land … From age to age, the Lord continued guiding his people – much more – he carried it in his arms as a shepherd carries his sheep. He also led it after the punishment of the exile, calling it once again and gathering the lost sheep to bring them to their fathers’ land. …”
#Catholic #TV #Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, May 7, 2017, from Catholic TV in the Archdiocese of Boston. [Click here for Mass Readings]
#Catholic #TV #Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, May 7, 2017, from the Archdiocese of Toronto. [Click here for Mass Readings]
“Shepherd Me, Oh God” by Marty Haugen, performed by Sonia Salas.
#Catholic #TV #Mass Readings and Homily for Saturday (Morning and Midday/Early Afternoon) of the Third Week of Easter, May 6, 2017, from EWTN in Alabama. [Click here for Mass Readings]