Sunday, April 30, 2023
From The Pastor
The image of the Good Shepherd is one of the most common and beloved of all Christian art. The image of the Good Shepherd evokes a sense of security and protection in the comfort and constancy of the Lord Jesus. Jesus himself is the Good Shepherd who invites all to himself to find the surety of faith in the goodness of Divine acceptance that promises eternal life.
Who we follow and what we believe makes a difference in who we become. Committing ourselves to know and love Jesus will secure us in the peace of all he promises. Knowing and loving Jesus is confirmed in the words and actions of our lives that imitate his example. We are not followers simply to join the crowd interested in benefiting from all Jesus offers. To know and love Jesus is to understand and accept his Divine and human nature for the purpose of our redemption. This reflects the image and understanding of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Jesus is the Gate open to us that reveals the Father’s love and desire to unite us to the Divine Self.
This is not a back of the line tag along kind of relationship. A mature believer will desire to know deeply the One they seek to follow. Faith is a relationship of love, built on trust that holds the possibility to transform our lives in the model of our Shepherd. It serves the meaning and purpose of a life directed in love and compassion for the sake of others. In today’s world, this is not a commonly chosen path. This is why the image of the Good Shepherd is one of protection and safety against the deceptions and disorder that constantly surround us.
The world is filled with voices and images that seek our attention and allegiance. In a consumer, money driven culture that offers every kind of pleasure, convenience and satisfaction, a follower of Jesus must be prepared to choose carefully who and what to follow. The world will entice us to a position of control, power, and money to secure ourselves against vulnerability or the threat of being left behind. These are the lies Jesus refers to for those who enter the sheepfold other than through the Shepherd. Those who climb in some other way are thieves and robbers who enter only to scatter and disrupt the sheep for the sake of their own enrichment.
Noticed the personal care Jesus holds for the sheep. The Shepherd knows his sheep and they know Him. They know his voice as He calls them by name and leads them in safe pastures. Jesus knows each of us infinitely and loves us eternally. How does Jesus know us so well? He made us; we belong to him. Jesus lives in us, and we live in him. He gave his life for us so that we may be one with him.
The love and unity God desires for us is perfectly given in the Holy Eucharist. Today we have the privilege to witness the First Communion of three of our youngest members. Today they receive for the first time the Body and Blood of Jesus in this most personal way. Both their parents and catechists have spent time and effort to teach these children who Jesus is and what it means to receive him in Holy Communion. These young followers will continue to need ongoing support and encouragement to know and love Jesus more fully. They will encounter many other things in the world that will appear more interesting, attractive, and easier than the time and commitment it takes to grow in faith and love for Jesus. This is a constant tension for all of us.
The Eucharist is the food of love. It serves as a daily nourishment to sustain our strength and commitment to realize the presence of the Lord and his saving help. It is no accident that Jesus chose bread and wine as the reality to convey his constant presence to us. We need daily food to sustain us in the activities of life to remain strong and healthy. For the believer, Eucharist is spiritual food that nourishes us in the Spirit and presence of Jesus now risen from the dead.
Why is Holy Communion the food of love? Notice the action at the Last Supper when Jesus gave himself to us through simple bread and wine. This was a meal of love, unity, and forgiveness as Jesus prepared for the Cross. He knew he was about to die and had great concern for those he loved who would be sorely tested in their grief. The Eucharist is the promise of Jesus to constantly remain with us. How does he do this?
Jesus transforms bread and wine into his Body and Blood. Body means person or self. Blood means life. Jesus gives himself, his life to us through the Eucharist we share. This is the mystery and promise of Divine love. Faith seeks understanding with love rather than doubt and a demand for full understanding. Can your parents perfectly explain how and why they love you so much? Would you doubt their love if you were not satisfied with their explanation? No. Love does what love is. Love gives itself for the sake of the other.
Today we have a group for First Communion and a group preparing for Confirmation. These Sacraments express their desire to follow Jesus. Each of us plays a role in helping these young people to follow Jesus with maturing love. In the Eucharist, realize God’s love for you and be an agent of that love for others.
Please pray for our youth.
Father John Esper
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