My fifth grade teacher was from England…she’d always tell us boys, “Why are you acting like a bunch of wet noodles?”

She meant that we needed to show some respect: sit up straight, pay attention, speak with confidence, be tuned in, so forth

Don’t be a wet noodle

Today we see St Peter who, once a wet noodle who doubted his every move and denied and never knew what direction to go in or what word to say, has now stepped up into his role as shepherd of the church

Hebrews 10:35 says, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.”

Peter is now “filled with the Holy Spirit and power”

We Catholics are baptized into Christ the Good Shepherd…we are meant to share in the very life of JESUS the Shepherd and shepherd our family and friends to heaven

Which means we have to be STRONG in our faith, not wet noodles…..no one listens to a halfhearted Christian, no one will follow someone who can take it or leave it….they WILL listen to someoen who is STRONG in his faith

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday….we pray for strong priests, bishops, so forth — but we pray that everyone step up to the plate and be a strong shepherd leading others deeper into the life of God