FEAST OF OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL AND MEMORIAL OF SAINT PASCHASIUS RADBERTUS, ABBOT; SAINTS CLETUS AND MARCELLINUS, POPES AND MARTYRS; AND SAINT RAFAEL ARNÁIZ BARÓN, RELIGIOUS – FEAST DAY: APRIL 26TH 2026

FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER | YEAR A | APRIL 26, 2026 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/fourth-sunday-of-easter-year-a-april-26-2026/

GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY AND WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/good-shepherd-sunday-and-world-day-of-prayer-for-vocations-vocations-sunday-2026/

SAINTS OF THE DAY | APRIL 26, 2026 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-april-26th/

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL

MEMORIAL OF SAINT PASCHASIUS RADBERTUS, ABBOT; SAINTS CLETUS AND MARCELLINUS, POPES AND MARTYRS; AND SAINT RAFAEL ARNÁIZ BARÓN, RELIGIOUS

History of the Saints | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/category/saints-of-the-day

Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN | April 26 2026 | “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-daily-mass-april-26-2026/

LIVE UPDATES: Pope Leo XIV’s Historic Apostolic Journey to Africa | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/live-updates-pope-leo-xivs-historic-apostolic-journey-to-africa/

DAILY PRAYERS: St. Michael the Archangel Prayer; Regina Caeli Prayer; and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy Prayer | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/st-michael-the-archangel-prayer-angelus-prayer-and-the-chaplet-of-divine-mercy-prayer/

Pope Leo XIV’s Historic Apostolic Journey to Africa | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/live-updates-pope-leo-xivs-historic-apostolic-journey-to-africa/

We thank God for the safe and successful completion of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Africa and we pray and thank God for journey mercies. Amen🙏🏽

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Greetings and blessings, beloved family.

Alleluia! I am the good shepherd, says the Lord, I know my sheep, and mine know me. Today is the Fourth Sunday of Easter, celebrated throughout the world as Good Shepherd Sunday. In the Gospel, Jesus reveals Himself as the Gate for the sheep, promising that those who enter through Him will find safety and abundant life. He reminds us that He is the one who calls us by name and walks ahead of us, distinguishing His protective care from the thieves and robbers who seek only to destroy. In this final week of April, the First Reading shows the power of the Shepherd’s voice as Peter’s preaching cuts to the heart of thousands, leading them to baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit. In the Second Reading, we are encouraged to follow the footsteps of Christ, knowing that by His wounds we have been healed. We are joined today by a beautiful array of witnesses: Our Lady of Good Counsel, our maternal star in times of uncertainty; Saint Paschasius Radbertus, the scholar of the Eucharist; the martyr-popes Saints Cletus and Marcellinus; and Saint Rafael Arnáiz Barón, the mystic who found joy amidst illness. Like the sheep who recognize their Master, let us walk securely toward the verdant pastures He has prepared for us. Amen. 🙏🏽

BIBLE READINGS FOR TODAY’S HOLY MASS:

Fourth Week of Easter | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

Today’s Bible Readings: Fourth Sunday of Easter | April 26, 2026
Reading I: Acts 2:14a, 36–41
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23:1–3a, 3b–4, 5, 6
Reading II: 1 Peter 2:20b–25
Gospel: John 10:1–10

Gospel Reading ~ John 10:1–10

“I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture… I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

Jesus said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them. So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

In the Gospel, Jesus presents the beautiful image of the Shepherd who does not drive His sheep from behind, but walks ahead of them. This reflection focuses on the intimacy of the Shepherd’s voice. In a world crowded with strangers and thieves, ideologies and distractions that promise happiness but lead to destruction, the sheep are safe because they recognize His voice. Jesus calling us by name signifies that our relationship with Him is not generic; it is personal and specific. He is also the Gate, the singular point of entry into a life of peace. To enter through Him is to find a sanctuary where we are both protected and set free to find pasture.

The promise of abundant life is the cornerstone of this Sunday. This isn’t necessarily a life free of conflict, but a life overflowing with the presence of God. Jesus contrasts Himself with those who steal and slaughter. While the world often takes from us, Jesus gives. He gives direction, He gives identity, and ultimately, as the Good Shepherd, He gives His life. By entering through the Gate, we move from a state of wandering to a state of belonging, where our spiritual hunger is met by the richness of His grace.

The First Reading demonstrates the power of the Shepherd’s voice working through Peter. When the people heard that the Jesus they crucified was made both Lord and Christ, they were cut to the heart. This is the voice of the Shepherd calling the lost sheep back. Peter’s instruction to “repent and be baptized” is the invitation to walk through the Gate. The addition of three thousand souls in one day proves that the promise of the Holy Spirit is for you and for your children and to all those far off. No matter how far we have strayed, the Shepherd’s call is loud enough to reach us.

The Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 23) is the world’s most beloved prayer of trust: “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.” It moves from the verdant pastures and restful waters to the dark valley of death. The psalmist reminds us that the Shepherd’s rod and staff are not tools of punishment, but of protection and courage. Even in the sight of our foes, the Lord spreads a table for us. This Psalm assures us that goodness and kindness are not just random occurrences, but follow us, literally pursue us, all the days of our lives.

The Second Reading provides a sober reminder of what it means to follow the Shepherd’s footsteps. Christ’s example is one of patient endurance in suffering. He returned no insult and made no threats, but trusted the one who judges justly. This passage connects our healing to His wounds. We were once like sheep going astray, but because He bore our sins on the Cross, we have returned to the Guardian of our souls. Our suffering is not meaningless when it is united to His; it becomes a grace before God and a path to true righteousness.

As we go through this Good Shepherd Sunday, let us listen closely to the voices vying for our attention. Reflect today: Whose voice are you following? Are you listening to the stranger of anxiety, or the thief of comparison? This is the day to return to the Gate. Trust that the Shepherd knows your name and has already walked the path ahead of you, even through the darkest valleys. Allow Him to lead you to the restful waters of the Eucharist today, where life is given in its fullest abundance.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd who calls us each by name. We thank You for being the Gate that leads us to safety and abundant life. Forgive us for the times we have followed the voices of strangers or allowed the thieves of this world to steal our peace. By Your wounds, we have been healed; by Your voice, we are led. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may stay close to Your footsteps, especially when the path is difficult. May Your goodness and kindness pursue us today and always. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽

GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY AND WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS (VOCATIONS SUNDAY): Today, the Fourth Sunday of Easter is known as “Good Shepherd Sunday” because the Mass reading (John 10:1-10) features Jesus describing Himself as the Good Shepherd who leads His sheep to life. Where Jesus uses the imagery of a shepherd guiding and guarding his flock to describe His relationship with those He has redeemed: “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved” (Jn. 10:9). The communion antiphon for this Mass reads, “The Good Shepherd is risen! He who laid down his life for his sheep, who died for his flock, he is risen, alleluia.”

Good Shepherd Sunday is also recognized as Vocations Sunday, we celebrate the World Day of Prayer for Vocations instituted by Pope Paul VI in 1964. This Fourth Sunday of Easter marks the 63rd Anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. As we remember and especially pray for all those people who had answered God’s call to be His servants and disciples, to be the ones who live their lives and carry out their actions as the shepherds of the flock of the Lord, in the model of the Good Shepherd Himself, namely our Priests and Bishops, and our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. Vocations Sunday reminds us that the more fundamental call we hear in life is the call of the Lord. It is a day when we are asked to pray for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. The faithful pray that God will send them good and Holy Priests who, following the example of Christ, will lay down their lives for His sheep. Each and every one of them had committed themselves to the good works of the Lord, dedicating themselves wholly to the ministry of Priesthood, by which they truly showed the same love and care that our Lord and Good Shepherd had shown us, and this Sunday in particular we pray for all of them that the Lord will continue to guide them and strengthen them all in all their works.

POPE LEO XIV’S MESSAGE: THE INTERIOR DISCOVERY OF GOD’S GIFT

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, April 26, 2026, we celebrate the 63rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations. This year, Pope Leo XIV invites us to take to heart the theme, “The Interior Discovery of God’s Gift,” urging each one of us to look within the silence of our hearts to find the unique seed of vocation God has planted there.

The Pope’s Message: Pope Leo XIV, in his message for the 63rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, invites all, especially young people, to stop the noise of the digital world for a moment to listen to the whisper of the Spirit. He emphasizes that a vocation is not a career choice, but a discovery of a gift already given. He urges the Church to be a “fertile soil” where these gifts can be recognized and nurtured through prayer and community life.

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS: “Each of us is a mission on this earth because we are the fruit of God’s love. I ask the Church to help every person discover that their life is a gift, and to find the courage to say ‘yes’ to the path God has opened for them.” ~ Pope Leo XIV (2026)

SAINTS OF THE DAY | APRIL 26TH:

Link to Saints of the Day with Daily Reflections| April 26th https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com

Direct link to the detailed history of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Saint Paschasius, Saint Cletus, Saint Marcellinus, and Saint Rafael Arnáiz | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/saints-of-the-day-feast-day-april-26th/

OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL: Under this title, we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose miraculous image at Genazzano serves as a Star of the Sea for those in uncertainty. As the Mother of the Good Shepherd, she is the supreme counselor who always points us to the Gate, whispering, Do whatever He tells you. In the darkness of error or the dark valley of trial, she is the maternal star that ensures our feet do not slip as we follow the life and words of Jesus.

PRAYER: O Mother of Good Counsel, enlighten the doubtful and the erring. Obtain for us from your Divine Son a great love of virtue and the strength to embrace the way that leads to our salvation, so that we may walk unmolested along the path indicated by our Redeemer. Amen. 🙏🏽

SAINT PASCHASIUS RADBERTUS, ABBOT: Saint Paschasius (d. 865) was an orphan who found his home in the House of the Lord. A brilliant theologian and abbot, he wrote the first scientific monograph on the Holy Eucharist, the very True Food that allows us to remain in Christ. He teaches us that even those abandoned by the world are called by name by the Shepherd, who restores and confirms them in His eternal glory.

PRAYER: Lord, amid the things of this world, let us be wholeheartedly committed to heavenly things in imitation of the example of evangelical perfection You have given us in Saint Paschasius the Abbot. Amen. 🙏🏽

SAINTS CLETUS AND MARCELLINUS, POPES AND MARTYRS: These two early Successors of Peter ruled the Church during the dark valleys of Roman persecution. Saint Cletus (1st c.), a disciple of Peter, and Saint Marcellinus (d. 304) both bore the sins of their time with patient endurance. As shepherds of the universal flock, they refused to listen to the voice of strangers, instead handing themselves over to the One who judges justly, even unto martyrdom.

PRAYER: Lord, hear the prayers of the martyrs Saints Cletus and Marcellinus. Give us the courage to bear witness to Your truth and the grace to be cut to the heart by Your Word, remaining steadfast in the faith of the Apostles. Amen. 🙏🏽

SAINT RAFAEL ARNÁIZ BARÓN, RELIGIOUS: Saint Rafael (1911–1938) was a Trappist monk and mystic who lived an abundant life despite the cross of terminal illness. A Patron of Diabetics, he faced the slaughter of his health with sweetness, seeing his struggle as a way to share in the life and joy of the Risen Lord. He proves that even in the silence of a cloister or a hospital bed, the sheep recognize the Shepherd’s voice and follow Him into eternal repose.

PRAYER: O God, You made Saint Rafael an outstanding disciple in the knowledge of Christ crucified. Help us by his example to love You above all things, that we may run with inexpressible sweetness along the way of the Cross. Amen. 🙏🏽

Our Blessed Mother Mary (Mother of Good Counsel), Saint Paschasius, Saint Cletus, Saint Marcellinus, and Saint Rafael Arnáiz — pray for us. 🙏🏽

PRAYER INTENTION: FOR VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD AND CONSECRATED LIFE, FOR THE SICK, THE YOUTH, AND THE FLOCK

As we follow the Shepherd who refreshes our souls, let us bring our petitions to the Father through the intercession of the saints of this day.

Heavenly Father, call forth generous hearts to serve You in the Priesthood, religious life, and all holy vocations. Strengthen those You have chosen, especially newly ordained Priests. Fill them with Your grace, wisdom, and zeal, and keep them faithful in their sacred ministry. Guide and support them always, and help us to encourage and pray for them. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord, we pray for the sick, especially those suffering from diabetes and terminal illnesses. Through the intercession of Saint Rafael Arnáiz, patron of diabetics, and Saint Paschasius Radbertus, grant them healing. May Your rod and staff comfort them and give them courage in their darkest valleys.

We pray for the youth of the world and those seeking direction. Through the guidance of Our Lady of Good Counsel and the patronage of Saint Rafael Arnáiz, lead them to the green pastures of Your will and protect them from the distractions that lead them astray.

Finally, we pray for the clergy, the Papacy, mariners, prisoners, and all those in difficult circumstances. Through the intercession of Saint Cletus and Saint Marcellinus, strengthen our leaders to be true shepherds who walk before the flock. Grant those in hardship the grace to find safety, hope, and peace, even in the midst of their trials. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🏽

PRAYER FOR PEACE | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/a-prayer-for-peace/

THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2026: FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL: For Priests Crisis. Let us pray for priests going through moments of crisis in their vocation, that they may find the accompaniment they need and that communities may support them with understanding and prayer.

(https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)

DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF APRIL | MONTH OF HOLY EUCHARIST: April is dedicated to the Holy Eucharist, the greatest gift of Christ to His Church. In the Eucharist, Jesus is truly present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity offering Himself as the Bread of Life. This month invites us to deepen our love and reverence for the Eucharist, especially during Holy Week and Easter, celebrating the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord. The Eucharist was instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper when He said, “Take and eat; this is My Body… Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the Covenant” (Matthew 26:26-28). In receiving the Eucharist, we are united with Christ and His Church. It is the source of our strength and the culmination of our salvation, as Christ Himself said in John 6:51, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” As we journey through Lent, we are called to renew our reverence for the Eucharist. During Holy Week, we remember that Christ instituted this sacrament on Holy Thursday, offering us a way to remain in union with Him. Let us take this opportunity to attend Mass regularly, spend time in Eucharistic adoration, and reflect on the mystery of Christ’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament.

In this season of penance and reflection, may our devotion to the Eucharist strengthen our commitment to living as true disciples of Christ, leading us to the joy of Easter and the Resurrection.

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine! Lord Jesus, You have given Yourself to us in the Eucharist. May we receive You with reverence and love, and let Your grace transform us always. Amen 🙏🏽

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/month.cfm?y=2026&m=4

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD
We pray for the repose of the gentle souls of our loved ones and souls of all the faithful departed. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏🏽

Thanking God for His love and the gift of this glorious day, we offer Him a prayer of gratitude for the graces of the past month and entrust the remainder of April to His loving providence. We pray for God’s grace and mercy as we continue this season of Easter joy. May the Resurrection of Your Son help us to seek You in every moment of our lives. May the peace, hope, and steady guidance that flow from the empty tomb shape our steps, inform our decisions, and strengthen our resolve to live each day in the light of the Risen Christ. As we journey onward into this month, may God bless our families and loved ones, and may His light continue to shine brightly in every home. Let us draw closer to God and be renewed through the joy of the Gospel and generosity to the poor. May God keep us all safe and well during these challenging times. Wishing us all a spiritually enriching, most blessed, and grace-filled Easter Season. Amen. 🙏🏽

Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Our Lady of Good Counsel Saint Paschasius, Saint Cletus, Saint Marcellinus, and Saint Rafael Arnáiz ~ Pray for us 🙏🏾

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Jesus, I trust in you! Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Amen 🙏🏽

Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖

DEVOTIONAL RESOURCES

A Guide to Catholic Prayer & Faith Resources: Prayers, Devotions, Teachings,and the Liturgical Year | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-prayer-faith-resources/

Catholic Mission & Witness: Foundations, Media Features, Global Outreach and Podcast Interview | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/catholic-mission-witness-foundations-media-features-and-global-outreach/

Daily Reflections with Philomena | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/