As we begin the final week of February and anxiously await those seemingly far-off summer days, I am reminded of an experience I had three summers ago. During Adoration on a very special retreat, I felt God knocking at the door of my heart, inviting me to welcome Him more deeply into my life. Shortly after, during an evening conversation with Fr. Mike Zimmerman at a Catholic young adult group gathering, I heard God’s voice in my heart, gently and repeatedly saying, “You are so loved.” When I arrived home that night, my mom noticed my tear-filled eyes. She looked at me with love and said, “Meg, you are so loved.” In that moment, I felt incredibly blessed—her words confirmed the message God had spoken to my heart. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for those who had prayed for me, helping me to understand the depth of His love and bringing me to that moment of clarity.
After this experience, I felt the Holy Spirit alive in my heart – leaping with joy during every prayer, my heart bursting during every song at Mass. I could feel a strong tugging in my heart during the priest’s preparation of the gifts at the altar, reminding me to rejoice and return to God through reconciliation. It was then that I came to appreciate the beautiful gift of Confession and how it heals our relationship with God.
This year I am being trained through the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd religious education program to further enrich my role as an Early Learning Teacher at St. Benedict Classical Academy. During a recent workshop, my fellow catechists and I reflected on two parables: the Good Shepherd and the Found Sheep.
The first, from John 10, illustrates how the Good Shepherd has a personal relationship with us and knows each of us by name. Just as I once heard His voice and realized He knew me, a child growing in their faith will come to recognize that they, too, are one of His beloved sheep and can enter into their own relationship with Him. The catechists guide the children, helping them discover these truths on their own.
The second parable, from Luke 15, tells of the Shepherd who searches for – and finds – the one lost sheep. This parable has a significant impact on children, beautifully demonstrating the Good Shepherd’s infinite love.
The Parables of the Good Shepherd and the Found Sheep remind us that even when we stray from His path and wander off, God is always there, with open arms, loving us and waiting for us to return home to Him.
AUTHOR: Meg Sano, Early Learning Teacher
