So, as we celebrate the ASCENSION of our Lord, three things I wish for you to do as your gift to our God of promises: be a repentant person – make your heart the font of life; be a forgiving person – make your heart the home of love; and be a praying person – make your heart the source of healing.

The readings for the Easter season harken to the first days of Christianity, allowing us to walk in the footsteps of the first Christians as they attempted to follow Christ as part of the young Church.

When God’s love is welcomed into our lives, Jesus will put this sign in your heart: “Home Sweet Home!” And you will not be “Home Alone”, the Blessed Trinity will be with you, as Jesus assured you: “We [Father and Son] will come to him and make our dwelling in him”; and the “Holy Spirit... [my] Father will send in my name.”

Today’s readings focuses on embracing the crosses that God allows into our lives, even while our human nature resists that kind of suffering. We avoid it and anxiously try to change situations that are unpleasant. Yet Jesus Himself modeled for us the transformation and redemption that comes from hardship and pain.

Jesus’ love has a defining distinctiveness: It’s a gift! It’s a precious gift that generates joy, peace, patience, faithfulness and gentleness; and it produces kindness, tenderness, compassion and understanding.

Have you ever watched a herd of animals as they journey toward a destination? It’s remarkable that their every move seems to be in sync with the entire group. Nature itself shows us that uniting together in community – as one body – is the way God intended us to behave.

The 4th SUNDAY of EASTER is designated as “WORLD DAY of PRAYER for VOCATIONS” or “GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY.” In our gospel today, Jesus reveals to us the rootedness of our vocation, he said: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I gave them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand.”

Just as Peter denied Jesus three times, now the risen Lord asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?”

Our gospel today brings out the faith-driven and decisive question of Jesus to Peter: “DO YOU LOVE ME?” When Peter answered with an animated and spirited “YES,” Jesus articulated the spirit of a loving mission, he said: “FEED MY LAMBS, TEND MY SHEEP!” Jesus is conveying to Peter that his love should be unconditional, and his service must be immeasurable.