Homilies

4th Sunday of Easter – Homily (Fr. Smith)

| Fr. William Smith

This year Mother’s Day occurs on the 4th Sunday of Easter. It is often called Good Shepherd Sunday. Every year we read about the Good Shepherd from the 10th Chapter of St John’s Gospel. This is fitting as the closest example of Good Shepherding is Mother love. To see this, let us examine the text itself and although we will begin in the ancient holy land we will end in contemporary South Asia.

This section of John’s Gospel follows a dispute between Jesus and the Pharisees. He has cured the man born blind on a sabbath. Covering their jealousy with piety they condemned Jesus for breaking the sabbath. Indeed, they not only threaten Jesus but also the cured man and his family. Jesus tells these enlightened leaders that they were blind. He then talks about shepherds.

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Bulletin

Family Fellowship Gathering Next Sunday at 10 AM

| St. Charles Borromeo

(photo: Paula Katinas; reprinted with permission)

Our Young Family Fellowship group will meet next Sunday around 10 AM (after the 9 AM Mass ends). Weather permitting, we will meet in the rectory backyard with snacks/drinks to share. Later in June, we will have our rescheduled talk with Susan Walsh, principal of St. Saviour Academy on Sunday June 26 at 10 AM.

For more information about our group, please check out the article in this week’s Tablet in which we were featured: “At St. Charles, a Baby Boom Brings Parents Together in Fellowship.” The full article is available on our website and is excerpted below:

[T]here’s a new family fellowship in the church that’s specifically designed to bring parents of young children together to tell their stories, share advice and discuss raising their children in the Catholic faith.
[…]
At that first session, parents spent time discussing their choices for the best books with religious themes to read aloud to children, Father Smith said.

Events, Videos

Community Mass – 3rd Sunday of Easter

| St. Charles Borromeo

On Sunday, May 8, 2022, join us in person or online for the 4rd Sunday of Easter, Good Shephard Sunday.

Our current Sunday Mass times are:

The readings will be from Cycle C.

Entrance: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You – 614

Readings and Psalm – 1072

Offertory:  The King of Love My Shepherd Is – 712

Communion: Gift of Finest Wheat – 940

Closing: How Can I Keep from Singing? – 685

The Gather 3rd Edition Hymnal/Missals are available for use in the church – pick one up as you enter and return it after Mass. Instructions on how to use the hymnal missal are available here: https://www.stcharlesbklyn.org/hymnal-missal/ .

Today’s readings are also available to read online at the USCCB website https://bible.usccb.org .

Scriptual Commentary

4th Sunday of Easter – The Love of the Good Shepherd

| Fr. William Smith

The Good Shepherd stained glass window
at St. Charles Borromeo

“My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.”
(John 10:27)

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the Second Reading
Good Shepherd Sunday
Rev. 7:9, 14b–17
May 8, 2022

Last week, we read the section of the Book of Revelations in which the Lamb of God ascended to heaven and was deemed worthy to open the seven seals of the scroll. Today, we read the passage immediately before the seventh seal was opened. In the two chapters between these two events, John the Seer has shown the great power of God revealed in the resurrection of Jesus the lamb. Remember that Revelation means “unveiling”—pulling aside those things which prevent us from seeing the truth. For John the Seer, the world is revealed as it is through the Resurrection. This, however, presents a problem. If Jesus has risen triumphantly, what about those who have followed him but have been persecuted even put to death. Where was the power of God for them?

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Homilies

3rd Sunday of Easter – Homily (Fr. Smith)

| Fr. William Smith

This section of John’s gospel is an epilogue. It is clearly added on to the body of the gospel by a disciple of John’s. Let us call him the evangelist. Virtually all scholars think that he got he got the theology right but some think that he lost the tone. It is admittedly anti-climactic. In just the past few weeks we have read the washing of the feat, the Passion, the resurrection, and last week the extremely dramatic appearance to St Thomas. Yet the Gospel will end with a fish fry and a gentle rebuke of Peter. This is intended and perfect.

No matter how dramatic the events of our lives, there comes a time that we must get back to work. This is what Peter, and the others are doing today. It is in the middle of their regular work that Jesus calls to them. He changes this common task into an opportunity for spreading the good news or more simply to evangelize. At his word and instruction, they filled their nets to overflowing but as John mentions the net did not break. Responding to Jesus is always fruitful but never more than what we can handle. He then invites them to join him for a meal. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish: we are meant to see a connection with the multiplication of the loaves and the fish and overtones of the Eucharist. Continue reading “3rd Sunday of Easter – Homily (Fr. Smith)” →

Events, Videos

Community Mass – 3rd Sunday of Easter

| St. Charles Borromeo

On Sunday, May 1, 2022, join us in person or online for the 3rd Sunday of Easter. The Family Faith Program will have the traditional May Crowning to honor Mary. the Queen of Heaven at the 9 AM Mass.

Our current Sunday Mass times are:

The readings will be from Cycle C.

Entrance: Morning Has Broken – 855
Readings and Psalm: 1069
Offertory:  Behold the Lamb – 939
May Crowning: Ave Maria
Communion: Lord, When You Came – 781
Closing: Sing with All the Saints in Glory – 539

The Gather 3rd Edition Hymnal/Missals are available for use in the church – pick one up as you enter and return it after Mass. Instructions on how to use the hymnal missal are available here: https://www.stcharlesbklyn.org/hymnal-missal/ .

Today’s readings are also available to read online at the USCCB website https://bible.usccb.org .