Ut Aliis Tradere

Trinity Sunday, another year passed, and priests and pastors the world over wonder how they are going to preach on what is admittedly one of the greatest mysteries of God. So they pass it off to an assistant, junior, or adjunct.

Truth be told, we try to keep the Spirit at arm's length because the Spirit is scary.

Perhaps the world never had sight of what is good and holy to begin with.

So, when Our Lord says, “I am the Good Shepherd,”[1] this is more than just a nice little platitude demonstrating His leadership. This statement is a declaration of the level of commitment that God has made to His people, a total, selfless commitment willingly taking on the difficulty and risk associated with taking responsibility over human souls.

[A reflection on the Gospel appointed for the Third Sunday of Easter, April 19, 2026, which may be found with the other readings appointed at https://www.episcopalchurch.org/lectionary/easter-3a/ ] In the world of high stakes gaming, international espionage, and even psychology (in none of which I am an expert, I assure you!), much is made of what people call a tell , a subconscious quirk, expression, or movement that indicates something significant about the person expressin

Instead of a scold, I think this is an acknowledgement by Our Lord that for some, belief will be difficult, because they will not be guaranteed a personal visitation from Our Lord.

There is no question that the two festivals of Passover and Easter are related. As a matter of fact, the word for the Christian festival...is a variant...of a word derived from Pesach, the Hebrew word for Passover.

...there is something profound in this juxtaposition of these two very different Gospel accounts within the same Liturgy, and likely quite deliberate, blending them into a cohesive whole that emphasizes a particular truth or even perspective outside of a merely linear view of time.

Both of these seemingly hopeless, impossible cases Jesus took on to show God's power and to prefigure what can be expected of the age to come when the power of Death and Corruption are no more.