Dear parishioners and friends of Saint James, 

In case you didn’t know or if you did let me remind you that in Bishop Brennan’s recent visits to Saint James, his stressed that fact that we are indeed the Diocesan Cathedral and that because of the upcoming Jubilee Year, we have been fast-tracked for our necessary renovations and repairs. Soon, I will be sharing more information about the 2025 Jubilee and what it means. Pope Francis announced the theme will be “Pilgrims of Hope”. A Jubilee is a special year of grace, in which the Church offers to the faithful the possibility of asking for a plenary indulgence – a remission of sins for themselves or deceased loved ones. I recently wrote about indulgences. The Jubilee will be a year of hope for a world suffering the impacts of war, the ongoing effects of COVID-19 pandemic, and the climate crisis. 

In the Gospel today, Jesus says that he is the Good Shepherd and contrasts himself with those hired to take care of sheep. He says that those shepherding for pay run for their lives the minute they see a wolf, leaving the sheep to fend for themselves. Rather than fending, unless maybe if they are urban sheep, most of them will end up in wolves’ stomachs, happy to have such an easy catch. Jesus not only says he will stick around for the fight, but that he is willing, even intending to die for the sheep.

Perhaps people don’t often consider it but as heroic as dying for the sheep sounds, what are the sheep supposed to do once the shepherd goes down? How can a dead shepherd be a good shepherd? Jesus says, “I lay down my life in order to take it up again.” His death is part of his shepherding. 

The Letter of John states, “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” As God’s children, as the Lord’s sheep, he intends to extend his whole life to us, including the resurrected life. This is more than the Good Shepherd; this is the Best Shepherd. the sheep no longer have to worry about the fragility and precariousness of being a sheep – they are becoming like the Shepherd himself who has conquered death once for all. 

So, when you are tempted to believe you are hopelessly unworthy and lost, that your particular or latest sin is oh so bad, sinner though you may be, remember you have a Good Shepherd, Jesus. He knows how to bring you back to the fold. His rod and his staff, his support and authority will bring you back in line in time to inherit immortality. Other have rejected him. Don’t be one of them. 

Let’s let ourselves be led, 

Fr. Bryan Patterson