Dear Friends,
The fourth week of Easter, April 26, is Good Shepherd Sunday. In the Gospel reading, Jesus tells us, “The shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out… he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him.” (Jn 10:3–4).
After the Resurrection, the disciples did not know where to go or what to do. Jesus sends them this message: “He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you” (Mk 16:7). Galilee was the place of their initial call and the beginning of their discipleship. Now it would become a place of confirmation, and a new sending out to mission, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
To pray with this passage, we can ask ourselves: Where is my Galilee? It may not necessarily be a physical place. It could also be a situation, a relationship, or a place in our interior. Wherever this place is for you, the Lord waits for you there. He wants to transform your desolation, sorrow, or fear into hope, peace and Easter joy. How does he do this? As he did with the apostles, by going ahead, waiting for you, and meeting you there in a personal encounter.
In the end, “More than wanting our circumstances to change, we want to feel the presence of Someone in the fire with us.” (Adam Young, The Place We Find Ourselves)
May the peace of the Resurrected Christ extend to more places in our hearts and in the world!
Yours in the heart of Jesus,
Glory
