Message from Fr. Brito:

We pray for the soul of Pope Francis and for Catholic Church as she prepares to chose his successor.

Prayer for the Election of a New Pope

O God, who in your wondrous love watches over your Church, fill the cardinal-electors with your Holy Spirit

to strengthen and inspire them as they choose a new Holy Father to lead us.

May they choose a shepherd for your Church

who will please you in his holiness and guide his flock

with love and watchful care, especially for the sick, the poor and the vulnerable.

We pray that your Holy Spirit will hover over the one who is chosen

to strengthen him to be a messenger of love, peace and unity in our world.

We offer our prayer through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Amen.

 

 

3rd Sunday of Easter

In today’s Gospel we come across Peter and a few others of the Apostles returning to their former way of life. Peter said “I am going fishing”. We think of fishing as recreation, but for Peter this was his work. In other word he is saying “I’m going back to work.”

Peter has made is living as a fisherman, but if you recall, Jesus at one point made him a fisher of men.

Well as we see in the Gospel story, Jesus appears on the shore to remind him of his true vocation. The good Shepherd has given his disciple the authority he needs to be a shepherd of Jesus’ flock.

When Peter drags the large net, with one-hundred and fifty three large fish, to where Jesus is, Jesus begins to question Peter:

“Simon, Son of John do you love me more than these?” Surely he means do you love me more than your old lively hood. Maybe the biggest catch he has ever made. Simon Peter responds “Yes Lord you know I love you”. Jesus responds by reminding Peter of his new vocation which is based on his proclamation of love. And Jesus says: “Feed my lambs”

Jesus does this two more time and Peter response in the affirmative “Yes Lord you know I love you” and “Lord you know everything, you know that I love you.  And Jesus response in a simular way: “Tend my Sheep” and “Feed my sheep”.

Jesus has personally trained Peter and the others for this great commission to shepherd his flock; the Church.. Trained under the direct supervision of Jesus himself and straighten and fortified by the Holy Spirit, Peter will fulfill his role as head shepherd of the flock of Jesus. The Good Shepherd laid down the pattern to follow. Peter experienced what this looked like first hand.

This morning the Lord asks us that very same question; Do you love me, more than these? We must see if there is something or someone we love more than Jesus. as true Christians, we must place Jesus in that first place of love and allegiance.  And if the answer is yes, That we love Jesus, then Jesus puts forth the commission, “follow me”. Imitate me. “Love one another as I have loved you” Amen.

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