Fourth Sunday of Easter Year A: Good Shepherd Sunday

 

A Reflection on the Catholic Readings for April 26, 2026 – Fourth Sunday of Easter

 The Readings

- First Reading: Acts 2:14a, 36-41 (Peter’s proclamation at Pentecost)  

- Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 (“The Lord is my shepherd...”)  

- Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:20b-25 (Christ as the suffering shepherd)  

- Gospel: John 10:1-10 (Jesus as the gate and the Good Shepherd)  

This Sunday, often called “Good Shepherd Sunday,” invites us into the heart of our relationship with Christ. The readings weave together themes of conversion, trust, suffering, and abundant life.

 Peter’s Bold Proclamation (Acts 2:14a, 36-41)

Peter stands before the crowd—many of whom had called for Jesus’ crucifixion—and fearlessly declares that God has made the crucified Jesus both Lord and Christ. The people are “cut to the heart.” Their response is not defensiveness but a humble question: “What are we to do?” Peter’s answer is clear and merciful: repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Spirit. About three thousand are added that day.

This reading reminds us that the Resurrection is not just a past event but a present reality that demands a response. The same Spirit that empowered Peter is at work in the Church today, calling us out of complacency and into deeper conversion. In a world often marked by “this corrupt generation” (Acts 2:40), we too are invited to “save ourselves” by turning to Christ.

 The Lord Is My Shepherd (Psalm 23)

The beloved Psalm 23 provides the emotional and spiritual center of this liturgy. It portrays God not as a distant ruler but as a tender, attentive shepherd who leads, restores, protects, feeds, and accompanies us even through the “dark valley.” The imagery is intimate and reassuring: verdant pastures, restful waters, a table set in the presence of foes, an overflowing cup, and the promise of dwelling in the Lord’s house forever.

In the Easter season, this psalm takes on new depth. The risen Christ is the shepherd who has conquered death itself. We can walk without fear because He has gone before us.

 Following in Christ’s Footsteps (1 Peter 2:20b-25)

The second reading brings realism to our discipleship. Suffering for doing good is “a grace before God.” Christ Himself suffered innocently, without retaliation, entrusting Himself to the just Judge. He bore our sins on the cross so that we might live for righteousness. By His wounds we are healed. We who “had gone astray like sheep” have now returned to “the shepherd and guardian of [our] souls.”

This passage challenges any expectation of an easy Christian life. Fidelity may involve patient endurance. Yet it is never meaningless, because it unites us to Christ’s own redemptive suffering.

 Jesus: The Gate for the Sheep (John 10:1-10)

In the Gospel, Jesus uses the familiar image of shepherding to reveal His identity. He is not only the shepherd who calls each sheep by name but the gate through which the sheep must enter to find safety and pasture. True shepherds enter through Him; thieves and robbers climb in another way. Jesus contrasts His mission—“I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly”—with the destructive aims of false leaders.

This is a powerful call to discernment. In our time, many voices compete for our attention and allegiance. Jesus assures us that we will recognize His voice. The sheep follow the shepherd because they know Him. Our task is to cultivate that intimacy through prayer, Scripture, the sacraments, and obedience, so that we are not easily led astray.

 Personal and Communal Reflection

These readings form a beautiful tapestry: Peter invites us to repentance and baptismal grace (First Reading); Psalm 23 assures us of God’s constant care; 1 Peter grounds our hope in Christ’s suffering and victory; and the Gospel presents Jesus as both the way in and the source of abundant life.

As we celebrate the Easter season, we are reminded that the risen Lord continues to lead His Church. He knows each of us by name. He walks ahead of us, even through valleys of uncertainty, suffering, or cultural hostility. Our response should echo the crowd on Pentecost: “What are we to do?” The answer remains the same—repent, believe, follow the Good Shepherd, and allow His abundant life to flow through us to others.

These readings are a fitting reminder of the late Pope Francis, whose anniversary of his passing was remembered this April 21. He was a true shepherd imitating the Good Shepherd Jesus. His pectoral cross even bore the image of the Good Shepherd Jesus. 

May the Good Shepherd guide us, protect us, and draw us ever closer to the Father’s house, where goodness and kindness will follow us all the days of our lives. Amen.

Third Sunday of Easter Year A - Mystery of Faith

On this Third Sunday of Easter (April 19, 2026), the Church invites us into the heart of the Resurrection mystery through powerful scriptures that move from bold proclamation to intimate encounter.

 First Reading: Acts 2:14, 22-33

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, stands before the crowd in Jerusalem and fearlessly proclaims the Resurrection. He declares that Jesus, “a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs,” was crucified according to God’s plan, yet death could not hold Him. Quoting Psalm 16, Peter shows how David prophetically spoke not of himself but of the Messiah: “You will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption.” Peter concludes with eyewitness testimony: “God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses,” and that the risen Christ has poured out the Holy Spirit.

This reading reminds us that the Resurrection is not a private spiritual experience but a public, historical reality that demands proclamation. Peter, once fearful, now speaks with courage because he has encountered the risen Lord.

 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

The response echoes the confidence of the risen Christ and every believer who trusts in God: “Lord, you will show us the path of life” (or Alleluia). The psalmist finds refuge in God alone, who is his “allotted portion and cup.” Even in the face of death, he rests secure: “You will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.” The psalm ends with the joy of God’s presence: “You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.”

In the light of Easter, this psalm becomes a song of Resurrection hope. It assures us that fidelity to God leads not to abandonment but to eternal life and joy.

 Second Reading: 1 Peter 1:17-21

St. Peter urges believers to live with reverence as “sojourners” in this world, remembering that we were ransomed “not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb.” Christ was destined before the foundation of the world and revealed for our sake, so that our “faith and hope are in God.”

This passage calls us to holiness and detachment. Our redemption is costly—purchased by Christ’s blood—and this should shape how we conduct ourselves amid life’s trials. Easter is not merely celebration; it is a call to live as people set free from futile ways.

 Gospel: Luke 24:13-35 (The Road to Emmaus)

Two disciples walk away from Jerusalem, downcast and discussing the events of Jesus’ passion. The risen Jesus joins them unrecognized, listens to their dashed hopes (“We were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel”), and gently rebukes them: “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!” He then opens the Scriptures to them, showing how the Messiah had to suffer and enter His glory.

At table, Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them. Their eyes are opened; they recognize Him in the breaking of the bread—and He vanishes. Their hearts, which had been burning within them on the road, now propel them back to Jerusalem to share the good news: “The Lord has truly been raised.”

 Reflection

The readings for this Sunday form a beautiful progression: from public witness (Acts), through confident hope in God’s presence (Psalm), to reverent living in light of our ransom (1 Peter), culminating in the intimate encounter on the road to Emmaus.

Like the disciples, we often walk through life discouraged, replaying our disappointments and losses. We may even feel that our hopes in God have been crucified. Yet Jesus draws near—sometimes unrecognized at first—walking beside us in our confusion. He opens the Scriptures, helping us see that suffering is not the end but the necessary path to glory.

The turning point comes in the breaking of the bread—the Eucharist. There, Christ makes Himself known. Our eyes are opened, our hearts burn, and we are sent back into the world as witnesses, just as the two disciples hurried to Jerusalem.

In our own time, when faith can feel like a lonely journey or when the Church faces skepticism, these readings encourage us:

- To proclaim the Resurrection boldly, as Peter did.

- To live reverently, conscious of the price paid for our freedom.

- To recognize the risen Lord in the Eucharist and in the Scriptures explained to us.

- To let our hearts burn with renewed faith so that we, too, become messengers of hope.

As we celebrate this Third Sunday of Easter, may we invite Jesus to stay with us, especially in the “evening” moments of life. May He open our eyes in the breaking of the bread, so that we can say with the disciples: “Were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us on the way?”

The Lord is truly risen. Alleluia! May this Easter season fill us with the joy of His presence and the courage to walk as Easter people.

Easter Sunday - The Lord Has Risen

On Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026, the Church celebrates the Resurrection of the Lord with joy and solemnity. The readings for the Mass during the Day proclaim the heart of our faith: Jesus Christ, crucified and buried, has risen from the dead.

 The Readings for Easter Sunday 2026

- First Reading (Acts 10:34a, 37-43): Peter preaches that God raised Jesus on the third day, and the apostles are witnesses who ate and drank with Him after the Resurrection. This event fulfills the prophets and brings forgiveness of sins to all who believe.

- Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23): "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad." The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

- Second Reading (Colossians 3:1-4, or optionally 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8): We are called to seek what is above, where Christ is seated at God's right hand. Our life is now "hidden with Christ in God," and when He appears, we will appear with Him in glory.

- Gospel (John 20:1-9): Mary Magdalene finds the tomb empty. Peter and the beloved disciple run to it, see the burial cloths (especially the head cloth rolled up separately), and the beloved disciple believes. They did not yet fully understand the Scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead.

These readings invite us to move from the empty tomb to personal faith in the risen Lord.

 The True Meaning of Easter

Easter is the Christian celebration of Jesus Christ's Resurrection from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion. It is the culmination of the Paschal Mystery—His Passion, Death, and Resurrection—which conquers sin and death and opens the way to eternal life for all who believe. The name "Easter" in English has roots in Old High German referring to the dawn of this new day of salvation, not in pagan deities. The core feast itself derives directly from the Jewish Passover (Pesach or Pascha in Greek and Latin), as Jesus was crucified during Passover and rose as the new Paschal Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. Early Christians celebrated it as the fulfillment of God's saving action in history, with no connection to pagan spring fertility rites or goddesses like Eostre or Ishtar. Claims of pagan origins are modern myths that ignore the historical and biblical evidence: Easter is thoroughly rooted in the Jewish-Christian tradition of redemption.

 The Resurrection as a Real Historical Event

The Resurrection is not a myth, symbol, or legend—it is a real event that transformed history. Saint Paul states it plainly in 1 Corinthians 15: "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain... you are still in your sins." If Jesus did not rise, Christianity collapses into nothing more than moral teaching or wishful thinking. But because He did rise, everything changes: death is defeated, sins are forgiven, and new life in God is possible.

This event profoundly impacted the early Christians. The apostles, who fled in fear during the Passion, became bold witnesses willing to suffer persecution and martyrdom. They proclaimed the Resurrection not as a comforting story but as something they had seen, touched, and experienced—eating and drinking with the risen Jesus (as Peter testifies in Acts). Thousands of early believers faced death rather than deny it, because they knew it was true. Their transformed lives, the rapid spread of the faith despite Roman opposition, and the empty tomb all point to a real, bodily resurrection that no alternative explanation (theft of the body, hallucination, or swoon) adequately accounts for.

The Resurrection Was Physical, Not Merely Spiritual

Some modern interpretations suggest that Jesus' Resurrection was a purely spiritual event — that His spirit or "presence" continued in some exalted way while His body remained in the tomb or simply decayed. This view reduces the Resurrection to a symbolic or subjective experience, stripping it of its historical and transformative power. However, this idea contradicts both the clear testimony of Scripture and the unbroken teaching of the Church from the very beginning.

The New Testament emphatically presents the Resurrection as bodily and physical. When the risen Jesus appears to His frightened disciples, He directly addresses any doubt about a ghostly or purely spiritual apparition:

> "See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." (Luke 24:39)

He then invites them to touch Him and, to remove all doubt, eats a piece of broiled fish in their presence (Luke 24:41-43). These are not the actions of a disembodied spirit. The Gospels also record that the tomb was empty, and the burial cloths — including the head cloth folded separately — were left behind (John 20:6-7). If the Resurrection had been only spiritual, there would have been no need for an empty tomb or for the physical evidence that convinced the beloved disciple to believe.

Saint Paul, in his great defense of the Resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, insists that if Christ has not been raised (bodily), then our faith is futile and we are still in our sins. He links Christ's physical rising directly to our own future resurrection of the body: "If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised" (1 Cor 15:13). Paul describes the resurrected body as a "spiritual body" (1 Cor 15:44) — not meaning "non-physical," but a body fully dominated and transformed by the Holy Spirit: imperishable, glorious, powerful, and free from suffering and death. It is the same body that was sown in weakness and corruption, now raised in glory. Grace does not destroy nature; it perfects and transforms it.

The early Church Fathers unanimously rejected any notion of a merely spiritual resurrection. St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 107 AD), writing against early heresies, affirmed: "I know and believe that He was in the flesh even after the resurrection... He ate and drank with them as one in the flesh." Similarly, St. Justin Martyr and others taught that Christ rose in the very flesh that had suffered and died, serving as the pattern for our own bodily resurrection. The Apostles' Creed and the Catechism of the Catholic Church continue this teaching: we believe in the "resurrection of the flesh" — the true resurrection of this mortal body, now glorified, just as Christ's own body was raised.

A purely spiritual resurrection would actually require more faith, not less. It would mean accepting that the apostles were mistaken or deceptive about the empty tomb, the physical appearances, and the wounds they touched. It would also undermine the entire Christian hope: if death ultimately triumphs over the body, then the material creation God declared "very good" is ultimately discarded rather than redeemed. But the physical Resurrection proclaims that God loves and saves the whole human person — body and soul. Jesus' risen body is the firstfruits of the new creation, the guarantee that one day our own bodies will be raised and transformed.

This is why the early Christians were willing to die for their faith. They were not proclaiming a comforting spiritual metaphor or a private vision. They were witnesses to a real, historical event: the same Jesus who was crucified now stood before them alive in a glorified yet undeniably physical body. The Resurrection was not an escape from the body but its redemption and glorification.

As we celebrate Easter, let us rejoice not in a vague spiritual survival, but in the concrete victory of Christ over sin and death in His risen flesh — the same victory He promises to share with us.

 The Shroud of Turin

One powerful piece of physical evidence often linked to the Resurrection is the Shroud of Turin, a linen cloth bearing the faint image of a crucified man consistent in every detail with the Gospel accounts of Jesus' Passion (scourging, crown of thorns, nail wounds, side pierced). Scientific studies show the image is superficial (only on the top fibers), three-dimensional, and cannot be replicated by any known artistic or natural means. Recent research, including advanced dating methods and analysis of the bloodstains and pollen, supports a first-century origin in the Jerusalem area. Some studies suggest the image formed through an intense burst of energy—possibly vacuum ultraviolet light—consistent with a sudden release from a dead body, leaving no signs of decomposition. While the Church does not officially declare it the authentic burial cloth of Jesus, it stands as a compelling "icon" inviting contemplation of the crucified and risen Lord. It reminds us that the Resurrection was not merely spiritual but involved a real transformation of the body.

 The Liturgy of Easter Sunday

The Easter liturgy is filled with symbols of new life. The Easter Vigil (celebrated the night before, on Holy Saturday) is the "mother of all vigils," featuring the blessing of the new fire, the Paschal candle (symbolizing the risen Christ as light in the darkness), numerous readings from salvation history, the blessing of baptismal water, and the renewal of baptismal promises. On Easter Sunday itself, many parishes continue this spirit.

In the renewal of baptismal promises (often included or echoed in the Vigil and sometimes in Sunday Masses), the priest asks the assembly:

- Do you renounce Satan?

- And all his works?

- And all his empty show?

Then:

- Do you believe in God, the Father almighty...?

- Do you believe in Jesus Christ...?

- Do you believe in the Holy Spirit...?

The people respond "I do" to each, reaffirming the faith of their baptism. This is followed by sprinkling with blessed water, recalling how we were buried with Christ in baptism and raised with Him to new life (Romans 6:4). The liturgy calls us not just to remember the Resurrection but to live it: to die to sin daily and rise to holiness, seeking "what is above" as Colossians urges.

Easter is therefore both a historical celebration and a personal invitation. As we reflect on the empty tomb, the witnesses, and the Shroud's mysterious image, let us renew our own faith. Christ is risen—truly risen! This changes everything. May we, like the beloved disciple, see and believe, and live as people of the Resurrection, bearing witness with joy and courage in our own time. Alleluia!

We from Sacerdotus Ministry wish you and your family a Blessed Easter Sunday and season! We also welome to millions who joined the Catholic Church last night during the Easter Vigil!  Welcome to Christ's Holy Catholic Church!  

The Easter Vigil - Christ the Light

The Easter Vigil stands as the most solemn and beautiful liturgy of the entire Church year. Celebrated after nightfall on Holy Saturday (April 4, 2026), it inaugurates the celebration of Easter Sunday, April 5. This "mother of all vigils" recounts the entire history of salvation, from creation to the Resurrection of Christ, and culminates in the sacraments of initiation for new converts. It is a night of profound symbolism, where darkness yields to light, death to life, and sin to grace.

 The Service of Light: From Darkness to the Paschal Candle

The Easter Vigil begins in darkness. The church remains unlit, symbolizing that without Christ, the Church—and indeed the world—has no light or life of its own. All electric lights are off, and the assembly gathers outside or at the entrance around a new fire, blessed by the priest. This blessing of the new fire recalls the pillar of fire that guided the Israelites through the desert (Exodus 13:21).

From this fire, the Paschal Candle (also called the Easter Candle) is lit. The deacon or priest prepares it with rich symbolism:

- A cross is traced into the wax, signifying Christ's victory.

- The Greek letters Alpha and Omega are added, reminding us that Christ is the beginning and the end (Revelation 22:13).

- The numerals of the current year (2026) are inscribed, showing that all time belongs to the risen Lord.

- Five grains of incense are inserted into the cross, representing the five wounds of Christ.

As the candle is processed into the darkened church, the deacon chants three times, each time higher and more triumphant: "Lumen Christi" ("The Light of Christ"), with the assembly responding, "Deo Gratias" ("Thanks be to God"). The flame is shared from person to person via small candles, gradually illuminating the space. This dramatic entry shows how Christ's light spreads to dispel the darkness of sin and death.

The church remains mostly dark until later in the liturgy. When the Gloria is sung for the first time since the beginning of Lent, the lights of the church suddenly come on, and bells ring out joyfully. This moment is electric—literally and spiritually—proclaiming that the Resurrection has burst forth, filling the world with glory.

 The Exsultet: The Easter Proclamation

Once the Paschal Candle is placed in its stand in the sanctuary, the deacon (or priest) sings the Exsultet, an ancient and majestic hymn dating back centuries. It is a solemn proclamation of joy over the Resurrection, often called the "Easter Proclamation."

The Exsultet weaves together themes of salvation history, the victory of Christ over sin and death, and the blessing of the candle itself. One section that has sparked online controversy, particularly among some Protestants, involves the Latin word "lucifer."

Here is the relevant Latin text from the Exsultet:

> "Flammas eius lucifer matutínus invéniat: ille, inquam, lucifer, qui nescit occásum. Christus Fílius tuus, qui, regréssus ab ínferis, humáno géneri serénus illúxit, et vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculórum."

A standard English translation reads:

> "May this flame be found still burning by the Morning Star: the one Morning Star who never sets, Christ your Son, who, coming back from death’s domain, has shed his peaceful light on humanity, and lives and reigns for ever and ever."

The word "lucifer" here is not a reference to Satan. In Latin, "lucifer" simply means "light-bearer" or "morning star" (from lux = light + ferre = to bear). It poetically refers to the planet Venus as it appears in the dawn sky—the bright star that heralds the coming day. In this context, it is explicitly applied to Christ, the true Light who rises and never sets. The text immediately clarifies: "ille... Christus Filius tuus" ("that... Christ your Son").

This usage echoes Scripture. In 2 Peter 1:19, Christ is called the "morning star" (in Latin Vulgate: lucifer). In Revelation 22:16, Jesus says, "I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." The Isaiah 14:12 passage, where "Lucifer" appears in older English translations (like the KJV), actually refers to the fallen king of Babylon, not the devil as a proper name. Early Church Fathers and the liturgy have always understood the Exsultet's "lucifer" as a title of honor for Christ, the Light of the world. Claims that Catholics are invoking Satan in the Exsultet misread the Latin, ignore the immediate context, and overlook basic linguistics. The Church has never identified this "lucifer" with the devil; it is a poetic image for the risen Jesus.

The Exsultet continues by blessing the candle for its use throughout the year: at baptisms, funerals, and during the Easter season. It is a prayer that this flame may continue to burn as a sign of Christ's enduring presence.

 The Liturgy of the Word: A Reflection on Salvation History

After the Exsultet, the Liturgy of the Word unfolds with up to seven Old Testament readings (often abbreviated in parishes), followed by the Epistle and Gospel. These readings trace God's saving plan:

- Genesis 1 — Creation and the goodness of the world.

- Genesis 22 — Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac, prefiguring the Father offering His Son.

- Exodus 14 — The crossing of the Red Sea, symbolizing passage from slavery to freedom (and our baptism).

- Isaiah 54-55, Baruch, and Ezekiel 36 — God's promises of renewal, a new covenant, and the gift of a new heart.

These culminate in the New Testament readings: Romans 6:3-11 (baptism into Christ's death and resurrection) and the Gospel account of the empty tomb (Matthew 28:1-10 or parallel).

A homily then reflects on these texts, inviting the assembly to see their own lives within this grand story of redemption. The readings are not mere history; they are living proclamation that "this is the night" when Christ conquered death.

 Baptisms and the Sacraments of Initiation

The high point for many is the celebration of baptism, especially for catechumens (those preparing for full initiation). The baptismal font is blessed, with the Paschal Candle immersed into the water three times, symbolizing Christ's descent into the waters of death and His rising.

New converts are baptized, confirmed, and receive First Holy Communion at this Vigil. They emerge from the font as new creations, clothed in white garments and holding lit candles from the Paschal Candle—signifying that they now share in the light of Christ.

The entire assembly then renews its own baptismal promises, rejecting Satan and professing faith in the Trinity. This is a powerful moment of personal recommitment.

 A Global Surge in Conversions

This Easter Vigil holds special joy in 2026, as the Catholic Church worldwide is experiencing a remarkable increase in adult conversions. In the United States alone, many dioceses report record or near-record numbers: the Archdiocese of Los Angeles expects over 8,500 new Catholics; Detroit around 1,400 (highest in decades); Newark over 1,700; and average diocesan increases of about 38% compared to recent years. Similar surges appear in France (with adult baptisms tripling in the past decade to over 13,000 this year), the UK (Westminster at a 60% increase), Australia, and beyond. Estimates suggest tens of thousands entering the Church globally at this Vigil.

This "something's happening" moment—often linked to young adults seeking truth, community, and stability amid cultural shifts—fills the Church with hope. The Easter Vigil beautifully embodies this fruitfulness, as the font becomes a womb of new life in Christ.

 Conclusion: Christ Our Light

The Easter Vigil ends with the Liturgy of the Eucharist, where the newly baptized join the faithful in receiving the Risen Lord. It is a night that transforms sorrow into joy, darkness into light.

As we celebrate this Vigil in 2026, let us rejoice in the risen Christ, who is truly our Light—the Morning Star that never sets. Whether you are a lifelong Catholic renewing your promises or a newcomer entering the Church, this liturgy reminds us: without Jesus, we have no light or life. With Him, the darkness is conquered forever. Alleluia! He is risen!

Happy Easter to all. May the light of the Paschal Candle guide you throughout the year.

4th Sunday of Easter: Good Shepherd Sunday - Francis to Leo XIV

Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is traditionally known as "Good Shepherd Sunday," with the Gospel focusing on Jesus as the Good Shepherd. The readings for this Sunday in Year C are:

• First Reading: Acts 13:14, 43-52 – Paul and Barnabas preach to both Jews and Gentiles, facing rejection from some but finding acceptance among the Gentiles, fulfilling their mission to be a light to the nations.
• Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5 – A joyful hymn: “We are his people, the sheep of his flock,” celebrating God’s enduring love and faithfulness.
• Second Reading: Revelation 7:9, 14b-17 – John’s vision of a great multitude from every nation, standing before the Lamb, who will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water.
• Gospel: John 10:27-30 – Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me,” promising eternal life and unity with the Father.

Reflection on the Readings

The readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter in Year C center on the intimate relationship between the Good Shepherd and His flock, emphasizing unity, mission, and eternal promise. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of His sheep hearing His voice, following Him, and receiving eternal life—a bond so secure that “no one can take them out of my hand.” This unity is deepened by His oneness with the Father, underscoring the divine protection and love that envelops the flock. Psalm 100 echoes this, joyfully proclaiming that we are God’s people, the sheep of His pasture, called to serve Him with gladness under His faithful care.

The First Reading from Acts highlights the expansive mission of the Church. Paul and Barnabas, facing rejection, turn to the Gentiles, fulfilling God’s plan to bring salvation “to the ends of the earth.” This reflects the Shepherd’s call to gather all people into one flock, regardless of background. The Second Reading from Revelation offers a vision of the ultimate fulfillment of this mission—a diverse multitude from every nation, gathered before the Lamb, who shepherds them to life-giving springs. Together, these readings remind us of our identity as God’s flock, called to hear the Shepherd’s voice, to participate in His mission of universal salvation, and to trust in His promise of eternal life.

Tying in the Conclave and Election of Pope Leo XIV

The election of Pope Leo XIV on May 8, 2025, just three days before this Sunday, brings a profound connection to these readings. Cardinal Robert Prevost, a Chicago-born Augustinian missionary who served extensively in Peru, was elected as the first North American pope after a swift two-day conclave, following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025. Taking the name Leo XIV, inspired by Pope Leo XIII—known for his pastoral care and social justice teachings—Prevost signals a papacy focused on unity and service. Just like his predecessor, Pope Francis, Leo XIV vows to continue being the shepherd that acquires the scent of the sheep just like Jesus the Good Shepherd.

The Gospel’s image of the Good Shepherd resonates deeply with the role of the pope, often called the “Shepherd of the Universal Church.” Pope Leo XIV’s election reflects the Shepherd’s mission to gather all into one flock, as Jesus says in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Leo XIV’s background—born in the U.S., a naturalized citizen of Peru, and a missionary who worked with the poor—embodies this universal call. His ministry in Chiclayo, Peru, where he served the marginalized, mirrors the Shepherd’s care for all sheep, especially the most vulnerable. His election as the first North American pope symbolizes the Church’s mission to reach “the ends of the earth,” as Paul and Barnabas did in Acts, breaking cultural and geographical boundaries.

The Second Reading’s vision of a multitude from every nation before the Lamb ties into Leo XIV’s global perspective. His dual citizenship and service in Latin America reflect the diverse flock described in Revelation, united under one Shepherd. On May 10, during a visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano, Leo XIV spoke of the responsibility to be faithful to the Mother, echoing the familial bond of God’s people in Psalm 100. His initial message on May 8—“May the peace be with you”—resonates with the Shepherd’s voice, calling the flock to unity and peace, a theme reinforced by global reactions, such as Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te’s hope for continued collaboration on peace and justice.

On May 11, as Leo XIV delivers his first Angelus from the Apostolic Palace, his words will likely reflect the Good Shepherd’s call to unity and eternal hope. His choice of name, Leo XIV, and early emphasis on peace and service align with the readings’ focus on the Shepherd’s mission to lead all people to life-giving springs, as described in Revelation. The timing of his election, just before this Sunday, feels providential, offering the Church a moment to reflect on its universal mission under a new shepherd.

Conclusion

The readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter in Year C, though not aligning with May 11, 2025, in the liturgical calendar, invite us to hear the Good Shepherd’s voice, to embrace our identity as His flock, and to participate in His mission of universal salvation. The election of Pope Leo XIV, a shepherd with a heart for the global Church, brings these themes to life. His historic papacy, beginning just days before this Sunday, calls the faithful to trust in the Shepherd’s promise of eternal life, to celebrate the unity of God’s diverse flock, and to follow the voice of Christ through his leadership. As Leo XIV steps into his role, the Church is invited to live as one flock, guided by the Good Shepherd and His chosen shepherd on earth.