St James Catholic Church

How appropriate it is to celebrate Mother’s Day and Good Shepherd Sunday on the same day! Many of us are fortunate to have mothers who have cared for us, comforted us, and protected us, much as shepherds do for their flocks. A mother’s love is an example of the Good Shepherd’s love for each of us. When we think of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, we may think of our mother, holding us gently in her arms or by the hand, rescuing us when we were lost, willing to lay down her life for us.

Around Christmas and Easter, parents of young children who question why there are so many Santa Clauses or Easter bunnies at shopping malls and stores, often tell them that the real Santa Claus and Easter bunny needs lots of helpers to deliver so many presents and goodies. In a similar way, we can think of our mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, women care-takers, and all those who show a mother’s love as emissaries of the Good Shepherd, deputized to be good shepherds in many loving ways on behalf of the one true Good Shepherd.

May God bless all those ladies both living and deceased with his love, peace, and joy.

Fr. Bob

It is also World Day of Prayer for Vocations, so we include in our prayers that God would bless the Church with men and women who will serve as priests, deacons, religious, and lay ministers.