SJBExcelsior Podcast

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is called Good Shepherd Sunday. In his homily, Fr. Carlson tells the story of the Shreveport martyrs, those priests and sisters who laid down their life for the flock God had entrusted to them.

Jesus comes to rescue us. He wants to raise us out of darkness, death, sin, addiction. He wants to grab us by the hand and be our Savior. This is what we celebrate on Easter. We can’t rescue ourselves. God, in His great love, comes to our rescue.

 

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord

March 31, 2024

He went on the cross for you, for me, for us. He freely chose to go on the cross because he loves us.

Is there something in your life that prevents you from giving your full life over to God? Is there something you need to let go of? Deacon Nevin invites us to ask ourselves these questions. Where do we need detachment?

What happens so often in our life is we get full of dirt (sin), and we start to believe that this is who we are, rather than who God truly created us to be. God desires to help us. We need to let him work on us! What does that look like? Listen to Fr. Carlson’s full homily to see.

God’s law is not a burden set upon us, but is instead a set of loving guardrails to keep us safe and on course, to prevent us from straying too far from him. 

 

What areas of your heart do you need Jesus to cleanse? What are the idols in our lives that need to be thrown down so that God can be at the center - busyness, work, money, sports, etc.?

 

It is never too late to begin again - invite Jesus into the temple of your heart. 

 

Fr. Carlson explains the significance of the First Reading from this past Sunday. The ram in the thicket? The wood on Isaac’s back? Mt. Moriah? His only beloved son? What do these mean?

Each Lent we hear about Jesus going out into the desert. The desert was known as the devil’s territory. Jesus goes into the desert because he’s bringing the battle to the evil one. Jesus goes on the offensive. Why? Because he loves us, and doesn’t want us to be separated from Him.

 

As we enter into the season of Lent, let us remember that Jesus is the victor, and that he always goes before us and with us. In times of affliction or temptation, don’t be afraid. Call on Him, He is the victor.

Leprosy separated the leper from their loved ones and their community. What’s more, they were not able to enter the temple to worship God. When the leper came to Jesus he asked him, “If you will it, you can make me clean”. The leper wanted to be able to worship God in the temple. He was longing to be one with God.

 

Sin is like leprosy - it separates us from God. As we enter into Lent, let us go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Jesus desires for us to be one with Him. Let us go to Him and ask him to heal us.

God cares about us. He wants to be with us, he wants to give us comfort, and healing, and His very self. Jesus heals; this is what he longs to do.

 

Here's a link to the prayer Father quotes at the end: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/prayer-before-mass-325