From the Heart of the Shepherd

From the bulletin for The Resurrection of the Lord (2026 April 05)

April 5 - Easter Sunday

During the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral this past Thursday, we sang an old favorite: Psalm 89. It’s a personal favorite because it was also sung at my priestly ordination (and mentions David). It’s always moving when two thousand voices are singing in unison: “The goodness of the Lord! The goodness of the Lord! Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord!” 

In context, we are contemplating the Lord’s goodness poured out in the Holy Oils of the Church, which are blessed in that special Mass. It is very good of God to make use of ordinary olive oil–a natural symbol of abundance and joy–to heal, strengthen, and consecrate His people throughout the year. At that Mass we also contemplate His goodness in calling men to share His priesthood (all the priests of the Archdiocese are gathered to renew their priestly promises in the presence of the Archbishop). And, of course, our minds are also anticipating the Paschal Triduum and all the goodness lavished on God’s people in the mysteries we celebrate: the institution of the Holy Eucharist, the New Commandment (to will each other’s good!), the Blood shed in His Passion, His saving Death whereby we are saved, the hope that dawns with His Resurrection… and if we begin to reflect on the marvelous and unmerited ways by which He brought each of us to believe in, cherish, and share in these great mysteries of His goodness, well, truly, we will need “forever” to sing of it!

I am reminded here of a line from Philippians: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (4:8). In the Easter Sunday Mass, the same apostle calls us to lift up our minds and “seek what is above,

where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1). This is something more than the “power of positive thinking.” When we recall and contemplate God’s goodness, both in Himself and in what He has done for us in Christ, that goodness fills us the more. Our emotions, our desires, our deeds, and our character all flow from what we choose to think about. “Pay attention,” St. Paul is saying, “to what you pay attention to.”

The news would have us think about all that is wrong with the world. Social media would have us pay attention to all that is frivolous or provocative, in one way or another. Advertisements would have us think about what we lack. The devil, those things that lead us to distrust God or to think either too highly or too negatively about our own selves. The flesh likes to ruminate on what would give delight or what is making us angry. Many people spend their days pinging back and forth between any one of these "attention grabbers.” Only the Good Spirit, the one who leads us to think “thoughts of peace” (Jer 29:11), lifts up our minds to what is above, to Christ, to the good things of God. 

The aim of our Lenten penances was to purify our minds from all the dross and distraction, so that we might be more free to “seek what is above” this Easter season and, really, for the rest of our lives. I know that this Easter, many of our parish family members are dealing with one or another source of sorrow or bitterness in their lives–hospitalizations, grave illness in the family, marital woes, prodigal sons and daughters, mental health troubles, moral struggles, financial crises, angst about the state of the world, etc. etc. It would be impossible for such persons not to think about the evils present in their lives. Nevertheless, my invitation to all the parish this Easter, especially those who, like Magdalen, are still weeping beside the tomb in one way or another, to remember Psalm 89 in the week(s) ahead. To see everything with the conviction that “God makes all things work for the good of those who love Him” (Rom 8:28), even that most terrible thing, death on a cross, and to be prepared to have your eyes opened, even amidst the dreary weather and heartaches, to be overwhelmed by the goodness of the Lord.

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