4th Sunday of Easter
READING 1:
Acts 13:14 , 43-52 Psalm
100: 1-2, 3, 5 READING 2: Revelations 7:9, 14b-17 GOSPEL: John 10:27-30
Our lives are filled with joys and sorrows, ups and downs, sickness and healing. Recently I had a terrible night. I kept thinking about a meeting I had that day and stewing about the direction it took. I kept thinking about what I should do about it. Then I started thinking about all the things I need to do at Church. I just could not sleep. I tried praying the rosary there in the dark, but I could not settle down and nothing could help. Finally, I did sleep; but it seemed only a short time and I had to get up for morning Mass. I know I am getting very personal here; but I think you’ll understand and I hope it resonates. I was in a bad mood. As I listened to the readings, I realized I felt a terrible anger. I had no focus for my anger; I simply felt at odds. Gee, I prayed, God help me not to appear angry to these good people; it had nothing to do with them. I struggled to stay with what I had planned to say during the homily. I was afraid I would show how upset I was. I forced myself to smile. I realized how unworthy I was to be bringing the Good Shepherd to people when I was a shepherd with an angry heart. After Communion, I prayed for God’s help, that I might feel the peace of Jesus in my heart. My eyes were shut and an image came into my imagination. It was the image of a boat. The boat looked in bad shape. It might have been out at sea in stormy weather. Somehow I identified with that boat. Then I saw a man approach the boat; it was surely Jesus. I rushed to straighten up the boat. I said, “Oh my Jesus I am unworthy that you should come under my roof. Besides, my boat is a wreck; can you wait just a minute while I straighten it up for you?” Then I needed to get on with the rest of Mass. Through the day, I kept bringing myself consciously back to that boat and letting my imagination go. I moved quickly to throw the trash into the compartment under the seat in the back. Jesus stopped me. He said, “If you become preoccupied with cleaning up messes, you will forget about me. But if you become preoccupied with me, I will shepherd you through the messes.” These things passed through my imagination quicker than I can tell you about it. The Lord showed me in an instant that new life begins when we become preoccupied with Jesus and turn to him. The devil by whatever name, is determined to keep us too busy to pray. Hell hates to see us stop to reclaim our soul. Our adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry and crowds. We hear the relentless tick, tick, tick telling us to hurry, hurry, hurry resulting in this roaring blur called the human race. Prayer, and particularly the Mass, is our antidote. In our second reading, from the Book of Revelations, John proclaims heaven filled with “the ones who have survived the great period of trial.” In the Gospel, Jesus says that he knows us. He really does, you know, he knows our deepest selves: our longings, our fears, our hopes, our love, our human limitations and our messes. He, who does all things well, loves us and invites us to turn to him. He will shepherd us; he will not forget us. Don’t discount your importance. Jesus says: “Come to me all you who labor and find life burdensome and I will give you rest.” He alone gives life in abundance, if we occupy ourselves with him, he will shepherd us through the trials, the situations and the messes. Don’t discount your importance. He is shepherding us on a rich, heaven bound adventure, now, isn’t that GOOD NEWS! Fr. Jeff McGowan |
