​​​​​Holy Infant Catholic Church

Father Michaels Weekly Thoughts

WEEKLY THOUGHTS FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER APRIL 26th, 2026

Dear friends, welcome to the celebration of the Fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday.  In some areas, it is a vocation awareness event, particularly, to young people to discern on consecrated life and priesthood for the service of the Church and Body of Christ.

In the first Reading taken from AA 2: 14, 36-41 Peter boldly tells the people that God raised up Jesus they had crucified and made him Lord and Christ- source of salvation through repentance, baptism, forgiveness and the Holy Spirit.

In the Second Reading 1 Peter 2:20-25, Peter proclaims; “Jesus left us an example to follow, one of faith, hope and humility as we endure suffering that leads us to salvation.”

In the Gospel of John 10: 1-10 Jesus teaches his disciples using the metaphor of a Shepherd; “I am the Good Shepherd.”  Shepherds are people and leaders with responsibility for nourishing and protecting the flock from predators. It is an image of responsible leadership and servant leadership.

Prophets in the Old Testament spoke of God as a true Shepherd- who really cared for his people. God chose David from shepherding the flock of his father to lead as king, the people of Israel. Jesus the Good Shepherd has a trace from the Davidic line.

Jesus teaches us that He is the Gate to the Sheep hold. One can enter the sheepfold through him. Otherwise, he is a danger to the sheep. A good Shepherd must also know the sheep by name. Equally the sheep must know their shepherd and be able to recognize his voice from that of a stranger.

You call your priests Pastors and Bishop Shepherd and the Pope Chief Shepherd of the Church because of their leadership role. The big challenge of our Shepherds is to voice out their prophetic ministry about the social and moral evils of our time. 

Parents have the pivotal role of shepherding their children in morality, faith and intellectual formation. Please, pray for your Pastors to emulate and live the way of Jesus who went to give up his life for the salvation of the sheep.

Have a great week.