Even though the weather people are often wrong, all of them on TV have said Spring is finally here. I guess we can expect snow on Mother’s Day!
I want to thank all those who worked so hard to make the Faith In Indiana Families-First Convention a success. 19 St. Augustine Parishioners attended. There were over 700 participants. Not bad for a new organizing effort!
This Tuesday, April 24, the Father Tolton Play will be at St. Joe High School at 7 PM. We still have tickets for the play. Please see a Tolton Society member to buy one. They are only $5.00. There may be tickets available at the door as well. This is a great way to spread the news about his cause for canonization as a saint.
As we continue the Easter Season, our first reading today is a continuation of St. Peter’s preaching after he cured a crippled man in the name of the Risen Lord. He points out that God raised Jesus from the dead and that “he is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone” of the Church. He also tells us that Jesus is the savior of all.
In our second reading we have the good news from St. John: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.” What a great gift from God to all of us. We are not only made in the image and likeness of God but we are his children. Alleluia!
Our Gospel today gives us the familiar image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Jesus himself says: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” This he did on Good Friday. He goes on to say: “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.” Jesus is calling us to a real close relationship with him, by loving God above everything else and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. When you love someone, you really get to know them. We can grow closer to God through prayer.
Today being a Good Shepherd Sunday, we should all pray for vocations to the Church, especially to the priesthood, deaconate and the religious life. Let us also pray in a special way for Pope Francis. We should pray for ourselves as well to be other Christs for those in our lives.
On Wednesday, the Church celebrates Saint Mark, Evangelist. Mark was a cousin of Barnabas and associated with Paul and Peter. His Gospel is the oldest, probably written before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. It is also the shortest. In it he presents Jesus as being almost constantly active with many signs and wonders. He presents Jesus as the Son of God.
We had all the carpet in the hall and church cleaned for $973.00. I hope you can see the difference. Please be careful with spills both in the church and the hall. If a stain is cleaned up right away it doesn’t leave as many marks on the floor. There are still a few Play Dough stains that just won’t come up. Please keep Play Dough off the carpet.
Let us continue to pray for peace in the world. Let us also pray for vocations to the church. Let us pray for the sick of the parish. Let us pray that all will come to respect life. Let us pray for one another and for the canonization of Father Tolton.