Homily for the 4th Sunday of Easter

The story of Adam and Eve teaches us that their lack of trust in God led to their fall. However, Jesus came to restore that lost trust and lead us away from our self-centered, fear-filled, and sinful lives back to His flock. He gave up His life to atone for our sins, demonstrating that the Father deserves our trust.

He is the Good Shepherd, the One who cares more about our lives than we do, and the One who came to serve and give His life as a ransom for ours. We can find forgiveness, protection, and guidance toward a fulfilling life through Him.

Trusting in God is not always easy, but it is always possible.

We have been given the gift of faith; we must have the courage to use it.

After he was elected Pope, Pius XI visited the study of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XV, who had attempted to bring an end to World War I. Pope Pius began to feel the immense weight of his new position, so he fell to his knees in prayer. When he looked up, he noticed a framed picture of Jesus on the desk, in which He was calming the storm at sea and speaking the reassuring words, "Peace, be still." From that moment on, the new pope kept the picture on his desk as a constant reminder of Christ's calming presence.

St. Paul of the Cross wrote: "Stop listening to your fears. God is your guide and your Father, Teacher, and Spouse. Abandon yourself into [Him]. Keep up your spiritual exercises and be faithful in prayer." Christ, our Good Shepherd, deserves nothing less than that.

We all trust Jesus, but we can learn to trust Him more. If we trust Him more completely, we will follow Him more closely, and He will fill our lives more fully with strength, grace, and joy. 

There are two easy ways to grow in this life-giving trust. 

First, through prayer. Every time we pray to God to thank Him for His blessings, ask Him for help, or praise Him, we connect with His goodness. That connection strengthens our trust because knowing God better makes it easier to trust Him.

Second, through telling others the Good News of Christ's Gospel. Just as in today's first reading, Peter explained that Jesus is our Savior, our Good Shepherd, so we are called to share with others the treasure of faith we have received.

We all know someone who is facing difficulties in life. Now is the perfect time to extend our support and reach out to them. We can remind them that Jesus rose from the dead so that he could be their strength and guide them through life's struggles so they don't have to face these struggles alone.

When we share our faith and spread the light of hope, we help others find the strength to overcome their difficulties. Our trust in God grows when we help others, as the light of a thousand candles brightens a room far more than the light of just one candle.