4th Sunday of Easter 2026 - "I am the Gate"

 

Since the reform of the liturgical calendar we have often refered to the 4^th Sunday of Easter as Good Shepherd Sunday. For. two out of three years of the Lectionary cycle on the 4^th Sunday of Easter we read Gospel passage for Our Lord claiming “I am the Good Shepherd”.

Like a shepherd, the Lord watches over, feeds, and cares for his flock. The good shepherds of Scripture patiently care for their flocks, leading them to safe pastures, pulling them out of thorn bushes when they foolishly stray into trouble. Jesus is the Good Shepherd—the best shepherd.

But we didn’t hear this Gospel passage this year, did we? For, every third year, on Good Shepherd Sunday, we hear a slightly different message, a slightly different image. “I am the gate for the sheep,” He says.

Perhaps not as intimate of an image as a loving tender shepherd, but certainly an important one. What is the purpose of a gate? For one, the gate is an entry point. “I am the gate, whoever enters through me will be saved.” Our Lord is the gate to salvation. He is the open door through which we enter into salvation and the good pasture of the Church and the life of God.

Back in 2011, in the seventh and final full year of his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI ushered in a special “Year of Faith” with a document called “Porta Fidei” the door of faith, the gate of faith. The gate of faith, the holy Father writes, “is always open for us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into his Church. It is possible to cross that threshold when the word of God is proclaimed and the heart allows itself to be shaped by transforming grace. To enter through that door is to set out on a journey that lasts a lifetime. It begins with baptism (cf. Rom 6:4), through which we can address God as Father, and it ends with the passage through death to eternal life, fruit of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, whose will it was, by the gift of the Holy Spirit, to draw those who believe in him into his own glory (cf. Jn 17:22).”

The gate of faith is a powerful image reminding us of our ultimate goal. Yes, the Lord loves us and cares for us in this life, but the purpose of faith, the goal of faith, the destination of our faith, is heaven. And it is through Christ, the Gate, the way, the truth, the life, that leads to heaven, "one one comes to the Father except through" Him. 

There is another purpose for gates alluded to by the Lord in the Gospel today. Gates keep-out robbers and thieves. Gates guard us, they protect us from those who wish us ill.

In the spiritual life, there are certainly those who wish us ill. The world, the devil, and the flesh, lead us away from Communion with God—away from the peace and joy of the Spirit. When Jesus Christ is the gate of your life, he protects you from all that would rob us of the peace and joy and life of God.

The truth of Jesus Christ enables us to discern right from wrong—fallacy from veracity—when we come across it in the media, in propaganda, or from false shepherds. The truth of Jesus Christ protects us from the lies and heresies promulgated by the devil which bring ruin to souls and division in the Church. When Christ the Truth is our gate, all ideas and opinions must pass through Him—and if they don’t pass the Truth-Test, they can be rejected. This includes temptation—temptation is the lie that we’ll be happy if we sin. But when Christ is our Gate—the empty promise of sin which brings us ruin can be identified and rejected.

When we do fall into temptation, there wasn’t a problem with the gate, it’s us who ignore all of the warning signs, and complicitly welcome those robbers and thieves into our souls.

The Christian life entails strengthening our relationship with Christ the Gate—developing a Christian filter for our choices and words.

Is Christ the gate of your speech? The words you use, the conversation you engage in, the texts you send, the internet posts you make?

We commit sins of speech when we fail to make Christ the Gate of our speech. The Catechism lists a number of sins of speech and communication, which are often sins against the 8^th commandment. The sin of bearing false witness and perjury. The sin of rash judgment, which assumes the moral fault of a neighbor without sufficient foundation; The sin of calumny involves spreading lies. The sin of detraction is when we disclose another's faults and failing to persons who did not know them and have no business knowing them, without objectively valid reasons. In other words, damaging a person’s good name without sufficient reason, even if told in confidence.

Due to social media, we see detraction and calumny, lies and unverified facts flowing like never before. Cyber-bullying, too, is rampant in many social groups, and has terrible effects on mental health for our young people. Many Catholics have fallen into the lax discipline over speech that plagues our modern world. Carelessness, cruelty, rash judgment, impatient grumbling and complaining.

The Christian life entails, putting on the mind of Christ, putting on the heart of Christ, and putting on the mouth of Christ, saying only what builds others up, leads them to truth, what is for the sake of the Gospel. Is it true, is it kind, is it necessary? “Is it true, is it kind, is it necessary”? Every word, every thought, every internet post, every text message, needs to pass through that filter. It sounds like a lot of work, but as you develop this filter, this virtue, it becomes easier and easier.

One of my favorite parts of the Mass, is right before the proclamation of the Gospel, we sign ourselves, don’t we, on our foreheads, our mouths, and on our breast, a simple, yet profound gesture. I was always taught to offer a little prayer at that point, to say something like, May the Lord be always in my thoughts, on my lips, and in my heart. We pray, at the point in the mass, that the gates of our minds might be opened to received and contemplate and understand the Gospel message, that our lips might be open to later go out and proclaim the Gospel message, and that our hearts might be open to love and live the Gospel message. 

So, may the Lord preside over our thoughts, words, and deeds this day. May nothing which is impure pass through our eyes or ears or through our lips or into our heart. May he guard us from the corruption of this generation and lead us to eternal life, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

4th Week in OT 2018 - Monday - Haters gonna hate

In this age where everyone feels entitled to publicly express their negative opinions, there’s an expression the kids use these days to deal with cruel, ignorant, or hateful comments. They say, “Haters gonna hate”. In other words, there are always going to be people who criticize you, who love to see you fail.

Well King David encountered a so-called “Hater” at one of the low moments of his life, even lower than when he was being hunted down by Saul. David’s third son Absalom had mounted a rebellion against this aging father, and had murdered his brother, the crowned prince Amnon, David’s first born and inheritor of the throne of Israel.

David had been driven out of Jerusalem when he comes across this vicious hater, Shimei. Shimei curses David for mistreating Saul, claiming he brought ruin to the house of Saul. Now none of this was true. Remember, it was Saul who bitterly mistreated and hunted David; it was Saul who brought ruin to his own house.

Now, David’s soldiers were more than willing to kill Shimei for cursing their king. But what does David do? He doesn’t raise arms against Shimei, he doesn’t even defend himself.  He perhaps foreshadows the Lord's own teaching, that he who lives by the sword, shall die by the sword. He deals with the calumny with humility.

One, David recognizes that “haters gonna hate.” Some people, especially the ignorant, will revel in seeing you fail. So David, wisely chooses not to engage this buffoon.

Secondly, notice, David was willing to hear what God might be saying to him through this cursing critic. That’s pretty profound. David teaches us to see the hand of God in every circumstance—even when we are being calumniated.

Thirdly, David trusts that if he suffers injustice now, the unjust insults of Shimei, God who is just will vindicate him in God’s time.

David was able to defeat the giant Goliath through his humble trust in God, and that humility shines forth here, again. David’s humility kept him from engaging this giant fool, and thus he emerged the bigger man.

May true humility mark all of our conversations, disagreements, and endeavors, may it prevent us from foolishness, and strengthen us in following the will of God, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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That all members of the Church may live out their baptismal call with greater conviction and faithfulness, and turn to the Lord in their sins with sincere contrition.

As we begin Catholic Schools Week, we pray for all students, that the Spirit of God may grant them the gifts of wisdom and understanding, and that teachers may share their knowledge with gentleness, patience, and competence.  We pray to the Lord.

For parents, the first teachers of their children, that by their faith and love, they may be blessings to their families, and for a strengthening of all families in faith.  We pray to the Lord.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord