Good Shepherd Sunday

The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  The simple message of today's Gospel reminds each one of us that we are loved beyond measure.

It has been a full weekend.  Our parish celebrated the Sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation yesterday.  I participated in the 9:00 am Mass. It is always exciting to see the excitement of the children on these big days.  I was then scheduled for two Masses this morning along with a couple of other commitments.

We decided to take a ride yesterday afternoon to go see Horsetooth Reservoir.  We had not been there for a few years and we thought a short scenic drive would be nice.  After passing the reservoir I made a left turn and went through Masonville, Colorado.  We had never been there.  At one point, I am looking across a field and trying to determine if I am really seeing what I think I am seeing.

The photo above is just one section of the elk population that was present on this field.  Unfortunately, there was no road to get a closer view.

The road we were driving on ended up bringing us into Loveland, Colorado.  I asked my wife and son if they wanted to go back home or drive to Estes Park. We typically don't start on a road trip in the late afternoon hours, but we figured there was still a lot of daylight in front of us.  We decided to head to Estes.  It was a good decision. We saw elk in numerous places right along Highway 34 as we headed through the Big Thompson Canyon.  We also saw a few mountain goats right along the roadway as well.

As we entered Estes Park, we were greeted with stampeding horses which had just escaped from the stable along the roadway.  These horses were saddled and ready for the next group of riders going on a trail ride, but they suddenly rushed out into the street.  Thankfully, I was able to stop the car and the horses also stopped when they reached our car.

The rest of the drive was a little less eventful.  We stopped at the Stanley Hotel, but we did not go into any of the buildings.  If the shows on television which describe the haunted happenings at the hotel are accurate, I didn't feel a need to press our luck after the encounter with the horses.

I hope your weekend allowed you to experience some down time. I am grateful for the few hours we had to enjoy the beauty of God's creation in Fort Collins (at Horsetooth Reservoir), Masonville, Loveland, and Estes Park.

Please remember, you are loved!  Any time you start to doubt that, read the Good Shepherd discourse in John's Gospel.  Blessings to each of you as we continue our Easter celebration!