The Lord, in His Providence, has entrusted us with someone to care for and nurture. Some of us are parents and spouses; others are teachers, priests, and employers. Jesus gives us a model to follow in caring for His loved ones. “I am the good Shepherd…who lays down his life for his sheep.”
The good shepherd model challenges us to consider our relationship with the people under our care. It won’t take much to think when we have sacrificed something for them. Sometimes our day is like the woman who lived in a shoe. She had so many children she didn’t know what to do.
Life can be like that nursery rhyme. You don’t know what direction you are going in; there are so many demands on our time. Something that helps us model Jesus and not a hired hand is “be present and attentive to the person or task at hand.
Please beware of the hired hand who enters our minds when we start thinking about everything we must do. One distraction after another begins to weigh on us. As a result, we feel tension and stress on our shoulders.
When life becomes burdensome, take a moment and be present to the Good Shepherd so he can bring you safely back to where He is working in you. He will give you His heart to love and be present to the people in your care.
Goodbye hired hand. Goodbye, stress. Goodbye, lady who lives in a shoe. Welcome the Kingdom of God, where every need will be met. A little prayer helps us to be with our Shepherd: “Oh, Jesus, I surrender myself to you. Take care of everything. He can, and he will.
December 4, 2025, Matthew 7:21, 24-27 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120425.cfm Never Satisfied. That is Tom Brady, who was the quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He acknowledged the
December 3, 2025, Matthew 15:29-37 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120325.cfm NEVER HUNGER. HOW IS THAT? A few years ago, a local restaurant donated turkeys for our parishioners to feed people
December 2, 2025, Luke 10:21-24 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120225.cfm INTIMACY LEADS TO TRUST! Throughout His life, Jesus had one human person with whom He shared a very similar
November 30, 2025, Matthew 24:37-44 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/113025.cfm Let your light shine! Have you ever walked away from your car and wondered if you locked it? Did you
Fr. Rick’s Two-Minute Homily for Monday, 4th Week of Easter
May 12, 2025, John 10:11-18
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051225.cfm
Lay Down Your Cares
The Lord, in His Providence, has entrusted us with someone to care for and nurture. Some of us are parents and spouses; others are teachers, priests, and employers. Jesus gives us a model to follow in caring for His loved ones. “I am the good Shepherd…who lays down his life for his sheep.”
The good shepherd model challenges us to consider our relationship with the people under our care. It won’t take much to think when we have sacrificed something for them. Sometimes our day is like the woman who lived in a shoe. She had so many children she didn’t know what to do.
Life can be like that nursery rhyme. You don’t know what direction you are going in; there are so many demands on our time. Something that helps us model Jesus and not a hired hand is “be present and attentive to the person or task at hand.
Please beware of the hired hand who enters our minds when we start thinking about everything we must do. One distraction after another begins to weigh on us. As a result, we feel tension and stress on our shoulders.
When life becomes burdensome, take a moment and be present to the Good Shepherd so he can bring you safely back to where He is working in you. He will give you His heart to love and be present to the people in your care.
Goodbye hired hand. Goodbye, stress. Goodbye, lady who lives in a shoe. Welcome the Kingdom of God, where every need will be met. A little prayer helps us to be with our Shepherd: “Oh, Jesus, I surrender myself to you. Take care of everything. He can, and he will.
Peace everyone.
Love Your Neighbor!
Fr. Rick Pilger, IC
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