Fourth Sunday of Easter

April 26, 2026

GOSPEL MEDITATION

“I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

My most boring job was working at an insurance company as a college student. My main task? Filing. Now imagine if I had told my supervisor, “I just want you to know, I’m willing to die for these files.” She would have called a psychiatrist — or at least security. There is something absurd in Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel: “I am the good shepherd… I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:11) It sounds noble, until you think about it. No one dies for sheep. Not a hired hand. Not even a good shepherd. Sheep are important, sure, but not worth a human life. And yet, Jesus insists: I will die for them. The crowd understandably responds: “He is out of his mind.”

C.S. Lewis once said that Jesus does not leave us the option of calling him merely a good teacher. If someone speaks like him, he is either lying, crazy, or telling the truth. John’s Gospel won’t let us stay sentimental. Jesus means it. He reveals a love that surpasses logic — a love that measures worth not by strength or success, but by the willingness to suffer unto death.

The Good Shepherd’s madness is mercy. His cross makes no earthly sense and yet it makes divine sense. He lays down his life not for kings or saints but for sheep — for the ordinary, the unworthy, for you and me.

Think of someone who may feel unworthy of love. Do something simple and generous for them, not because they deserve it, but because Jesus did the same for you.
- Father John Muir

PRO-LIFE CORNER

“Before we go looking for life on other planets, can we stop killing life on this one?” “Why would bacteria be considered life on Mars and a heartbeat not be considered life on Earth?”
- Unknown

EVERYDAY STEWARDSHIP

Today’s readings on this fourth Sunday of Easter offer us a glimpse into the heart of our loving Savior. He is the Good Shepherd, and we can confidently place our trust in Him as we live the stewardship way of life.

In both the first and second readings, we find Peter embracing his role as leader of the newborn Church. In our first readings from Acts, he exhorts the crowd, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” We then read that the ones who accepted his message were baptized that day. Peter simply proposed the Good News to them and then left them free to accept or reject the call to repentance and belief in Christ, which is ultimately a call from God.

We can find many parallels in this passage to the call to a stewardship way of life. We, too, are free to accept or reject God’s call to discipleship. We can keep our time, talents, and treasure for ourselves, purely to serve our own interests. We are free to make that choice. Or we can embrace the call to discipleship through the stewardship way of life. If we do so, we will find a path to freedom from “this corrupt generation” just as those first disciples found in the early days of the Church.

A FAMILY PERSPECTIVE

In today’s gospel Jesus tells us, HE IS THE WAY and warns anyone who offers “another way” to happiness is “a thief and a bandit.” Strong words! Don’t listen to the sales pitch of society for happiness. Look to yourself where God is present and “calls you by name and leads you to abundant life.”
- Bud Ozar

ALTOONA CURVE BASEBALL

Tickets are available for the Curve vs. The Chesapeak Baysox game on Friday, June 12, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in section 108. Tickets are $7 for registered parishioners and $13 for non parishioners. Please stop by the church office on Thursday’s or Friday’s between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. if you would like to attend. We thank Dennis Greiner for making all of the arrangements

Prayer Requests

Kathy Ansman, Mark Blackie, Rod Baronner, Dan Bauer, Dave Bauer, Jack Chilcote, Harry Chirdon, Karen Claar, Brandon Conaway, Shirley Conlon, Denise Conrad, James Conrad, Kathy Corl, William Costlow, Joe DeGennaro Jr., Colette DiMemmo, Margaret Dodson, Tim Dodson, Joan Donnelly, Matthew Dorman, Nate Dorman, Amelia Doughurty, Lois Duncan, Thomas Duncan, Paul Dunmire, Ashley Eagen, Corinda Ermin, Roberta Farabaugh, Herman Frederick, Pat Harpster, Leighton Hess, Lucy Horton, Raymond Kargo, Carol Keagy, Russell Keith, John Kleine, Ruth Lamca, Cyndi Lansberry, Beth Lloyd, Joan Maier, Charles McGrain, Shirley McIntyre, Mason Wayne McManus, Paul Angelo Morelli, Bev Mueller, Bonnie Neal, Jessica Neff, Lee Neff, Kevin O'Rourke, Lucille Parker, Sarah Rihnovich, Nancy Servello, Elizabeth Siglow, Laura Snyder, Bill stauffer, Alex Walter, Margo Wascherl, Joan Weston, Renee Williams, Mikayla Yanchik, Pat Zeak.

If you would like to add a sick or hospitalized person to our prayer list or readd a person, please call the rectory office, at 943-8553. Parishioners of Saint Mary are encouraged and welcome to participate. Remember, you must have the permission of the ill person/family to publish their name.

Sacred Heart Church