Pastor's Letter

The Voice of the Good Shepherd
Traveling through the Easter Season
 
The first three Sundays of Easter have us focus on the reality of Jesus’ resurrection. The tomb is empty. And when the body of Christ appears, it can do so suddenly—even behind locked doors. It can also vanish in front of people—we heard about that last Sunday.
 
The resurrected Jesus is just different. A change in reality has taken place, and now it’s time to adjust to the new reality. And so, the Church shifts the gospel passages from focusing on Jesus’ resurrected body to focusing on how Jesus prepares us for this new reality—the reality that we’re the Body of Christ, too. Jesus empowers us to take in his presence to witness his presence in our everyday world.
 
And it begins by being able to recognize Jesus’ voice—a voice that’s familiar; a voice we know because we’ve heard it and know it within the midst of the Church (“Love God with all your being.” “Father, forgive them.” “I am the way, the truth and the life.”).
 
Some voices will rob us away from what we need to focus on. You can tell because they usually focus us on promises that lead to emptiness. They’re voices that mislead us or lead us in circles (“get rich quick”, “look out for number one,” “lose 50 pounds in two weeks,” “you don’t need religion,” “you can never have too much”). 
 
Jesus’ voice leads us to find fulfillment in looking out for others, appreciating the person we are, the realization we can change because we can be forgiven, the desire to share our goodness and our time for causes that help others, and the willingness to sacrifice for those we love. Those are just a few things. Jesus’ voice will challenge us but it will also lead us to hope, to understanding, to awe and wonder; to meaning.
 
We recognize it when we hear it. The other voices, the voices we hear most of the time, we begin to expose for what they are—especially those that tell us we’re not good enough, strong enough, or worthy enough. Jesus teaches us how to distinguish his voice from the shallow voices of others.
 
Because when we hold onto the voice we know and follow, our voice begins to sound like His. That’s how the voice of the Body of Christ is often heard—through each one of us.
 
Congratulations to our First Communicants!
On Saturday, our second graders received the Eucharist for the first time surrounded by their families and a full church. They’ve begun to learn the voice of the One we follow who brings us into his arms, like a shepherd caring for his sheep. Congratulations!
 
Our Seminarians Take Off for a Summer Break
Our three seminarians, JohnPaul Stedwill, Jonathan Puckett and Luke Olson, are wrapping up their semester at Mundelein and will head home to the Diocese of Peoria for the summer to learn more about pastoring. They’ll be back with us this Fall.
 
May the voice of the Good Shepherd bring you comfort and peace!
 
       –Fr. Mike
 
PS: If you have time, stop by for a pancake breakfast next Sunday at the Parish Ministry Center. It’s a great deal: $10 for one; $30 for families of 4 or more.