THE EVANGELIST

May 2026

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Dear Parish Family and Friends,

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I think of Eastertide as the season of Good Shepherd. We observed Good Shepherd Sunday on the second Sunday after Easter. The image of Jesus as our Good Shepherd is most likely the most recognized of all the images we have of our Lord. Many pictures, cards, children’s coloring pages, music, and building dedicated to the Good Shepherd. In the Old Testament the image of the Good Shepherd, some examples are Able a shepherd offering a sacrifice of a pure lamb, causing his brother Canne to murder him. Moses who shepherded the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt, of David a shepherd boy from Bethlehem who becomes Israel’s great King. The image of the shepherd shows us that they live and die for their sheep. 

 

Jesus is the fulfillment of this image in a surprising new way, giving His own life to save the lives of the flock. “I AM the good shepherd,” he proclaims. “A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (St. John 10:11). Jesus did this by dying on the cross.

 

Now that he has risen, he guides each one of us; he knows us by name and takes care of us. Jesus even looks for us when we are lost. This is why we can say, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want …. Even though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me” (Psalm 23:1-4)

 

Jesus who is the good shepherd before he ascended to heaven entrusted his disciples to the care of Peter, and asked Peter to love him more than all the others, Peter would represent him and feed – as Jesus calls them – his lambs and his sheep. Peter did not own the sheep, Christians belong to the Lord, but the Apostles will ake the Lord visible, near to them as their Good Shepherd.

 

From the Apostles this mission, which is a grace and a service of love, has passed to their successors. In their words and guidance w see Christ’s presence in his Church.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven to take his place at the right hand of the Father, he told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the Holy Spirit. On the feast of Pentecost the out pouring of the Holy Spirit which a a great gift of the Father, won by Jesus on the cross. 

The Holy Spirit is the life of the Church. From the Spirit, the source of every grace, the Church receives the wors of Christ and the wisdom to understand them. By the Spirit, the body of Christ is consecrated in the Eucharist, and the other sacraments are made efficacious. The Holy Spirit bring the Church the Body of Christ many great gifts, He guides the Christian to Jesus so he can recognize Hm and gives Him a place in his soul. The Holy Spirit brings the Church wisdom and the light of council, and when we are called upon to speak the Gospel to others he puts the words in our mouth to tell our story about our relationship with Jesus. Pentecost ranks second after Easter and is the fulfillment of the words that He spoke to His disciples when He said, “I AM with you always, even to the end of the world’> Without the out pouring of the Holy Spirit we would still be frightened disciples hiding behind locked doors for fear of the world.

 

Come thou Holy Spirit, come!

 

In Christ,

 

Father Thomas B. Wirth, Rector

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