FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK
My Dear Parishioners,
The Fourth Sunday of Easter is known as Good Shepherd Sunday. Jesus Christ is, of course, the Good Shepherd—but he also gave us shepherds: the Apostles, and their successors, the bishops. So, it’s worth asking: why did the earliest Christians make the Apostles ’teaching so central (see Acts 2:42)? Why did it take such a decisive role in their lives? And does it still matter for us today?
One way to get at this is by looking at how we live now. Think about our relationship with phones and social media. When I was a young priest, one of the things that I got tasked with—because you’re young and hip and cool, apparently (I was never hip or cool!)—is to hang out with all the high school kids. What struck me in this is how completely their lives are meshed with their screens. On average, teens spend over seven hours a day on them—more than three on social media alone. And what I also noticed is that adults aren’t much better!
These platforms are filled with “influencers”—athletes, celebrities, commentators, even ordinary people who gain massive followings. You can find someone to follow for anything: fitness, cooking, investing, decorating, parenting. There is always someone ready to tell you how to live better in your pocket at a simple touch of the screen.
But here’s the point: we don’t just watch them. We follow them. We take their advice seriously. Over time, they begin to shape what we think is important—what we spend our time, money, and energy on.
The question is why? Why do we do this? Because they promise us something: a better life, better health, better relationships, better homes, better habits. Something fuller, more satisfying. And so, we follow.
But it’s worth asking: Do they really deliver the fullness of life they promise?
In our readings today, but all throughout Scripture, we are compared to sheep—like, a lot. And if you know anything about sheep, then you know that’s not exactly a compliment. Sheep are dumb, so dumb! If you leave a sheep on its own, it will make the worst decisions. If you have a flock of sheep, they will follow any sheep anywhere—they’re just so dumb!
St. Peter says it plainly: “You had gone astray like sheep” (1 Peter 2:25). That’s not just poetic—it’s accurate. We drift. We think we’re on the right path, but it doesn’t take much to pull us off course. And we don’t need many examples; we can all supply our own.
If that’s true, then we need a shepherd. Without one, we’re defenseless. Without one, we don’t know where to go. Without one, we’re lost.
And before you say, “I’m no sheep, Father. I’m a lone wolf!” Well, I doubt it. Again, the data seems to show, your phone seems to show, the TV shows you watch, the news you watch and read—all of this would seem to say otherwise. Everyone follows somebody. It’s how we work.
We are made to follow. That’s how we learn anything—whether it’s getting in shape, learning a skill, or building a life. We look to someone who knows the way.
And that’s just as true in faith. So, when it comes to Jesus Christ—the one who makes the astonishing claim in John 10:10, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly”—the question becomes unavoidable: who do you follow to understand what that life actually looks like?
The earliest Christians had a clear answer: the Apostles.
Why were they so central? Because they were chosen by Christ himself. They knew him. They listened to him. They were entrusted with his flock. And they handed on what they received.
That’s why the early Church devoted themselves to the Apostles ’teaching (see Acts 2:42). Not as one voice among many, but as the decisive guide. Without that, everyone is left to make things up—to follow whatever voice happens to be loudest or most appealing.
So, the challenge is simple: what if we gave the same time and attention to the Apostles, the teachings of the Church, to the leadership of our local Apostle, the Bishop, and our parish’s pastor and that we give to influencers? What if their teaching shaped how we see the world—what we think is important, how we spend our time, our money, our energy? What if we didn’t just pick and choose the parts we like, but took it seriously—fully?
Because in the end, we are going to follow someone. The only real question is whether the one we follow can actually lead us to the fullness of life promised in John 10:10.
The earliest Christians believed the Apostles could—because they led them to Christ. And Christ, the Good Shepherd, does not promise distraction or improvement at the margins. He promises life—abundant life.
Peace,
Fr. Monteleone
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