Welcome to

St. Anne Parish

Welcome to

St. Anne Parish

July 18 2021,

16th Sunday B in Ordinary Time:

     In today's Gospel we see Jesus and his disciples trying to find a quiet place to recover from long hours of ministry. However, the great crowd presses on them. When Jesus sees the great multitude “ his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd…”. Jesus’ compassion and love for the crowd moves him to feed them with his word by “teaching them many things”. This is the way of the good shepherd. He forgoes his needs for the needs of his sheep. Eventually he will give his life for his them. This is the model that he gives his disciples to follow. We are also his disciples and are also called to follow his in his way.

      Jesus is the good shepherd and as we have heard in the Responsorial Psalm: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. In Verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul"

One day Jesus said to his disciples:

"In my Father's house there are many dwelling places; if it were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you ... Where I am going You know the way.

Thomas said to him: Sir, we do not know where you are going, how can we know the way?

Jesus replied: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father accept through me”.

      Jesus has left us an example to follow and that is the way. If we imitate his goodness and keep his commandments, we are on our way to where he wants us to be; to lead us and guide us and refresh our souls.

     We have been given a Shepherd who will never disappoint us. As we say in the Glory: "you alone are the Holy one, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the most high Jesus Christ,"

     We have one in Jesus that we can trust that will lead us to his Father and our Father. We have to trust him and follow everything he says and does.

With Jesus we have a Shepherd who is good and will lead us: not by force, but he will lead us to where all our desires will be satisfied. What we need to do is to listen to the voice of the good shepherd, believe and trust in him and follow him. Amen

God bless you all, Fr. Larry Brito