June 11, 2010
Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
By Melanie Rigney
I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD. The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy, shepherding them rightly. (Ezekiel 34:15-16)
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. (Psalms 23:1-3)
The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. (Romans 5:5-6)
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4)
Piety
Jesus, Son of God and our Saviour, have mercy on all who wound your Sacred Heart by sin, unfaithfulness and neglect. O loving Heart of Jesus, broken by our ingratitude, pierced by our sins, yet loving us still, accept in reparation the suffering I now make to you of all that I am and all that I have. Draw me ever nearer to your Sacred Heart: there where I can learn best, teach me, Jesus, your blessed way to eternal life. (Found at www.Catholic.org)
Study
When you think about the shepherds in your life, who comes to mind? I’ll bet many of them are not people who quoted Scripture at you or lectured you about skipping Mass or not going to Reconciliation. In fact, maybe you have a few folks like my uncle John.
I do not remember ever having had a discussion about God or Catholicism with John in fifty-odd years. I’d be hard-pressed to say for certain that we’ve ever gone to Mass together, other than that I’m pretty sure he and his wonderful wife, Kathy, were at my Confirmation.
John and I usually talk about politics, sports, what’s up with other parts of our large extended family, and the good old days. Like the time when I was eight or so and he was thirty-ish, and he tricked me into staying silent for a whole day by saying it was a game called Possum. Like the time he called in sick from his high school coaching job to interview for a college gig, and later, when the college officials found out he’d lied to get the time off, they changed their minds about him. Like the time he loaded up a bunch of us kids to watch “Bonanza” on color TV (you have no idea what a big deal that was!) and convinced my cousin Clay that Clay’s seatbelt was stuck and Clay would have to watch TV from the car through the very large picture window into John’s house.
John may not talk a lot about his faith, but it’s there in the way he lives his life. He’s upbeat and optimistic despite a recent string of health challenges. He and Kathy have been married for forty years. Faith has sustained them through losses and relocations. They both are always active in their parishes (and are Cursillistas) and volunteer their time to social justice and other ministries.
Some shepherds have proclaimed the Good News and witnessed to me, providing blessings and gifts and support that I can never repay. But I’m just as grateful for the ones like John, who never pushed or prodded, but brought rest to my life during some very turbulent times. From John and others, I’ve learned that there’s no one right way to shepherd, anymore than there’s one right way to love.
Action
Write a note of personal thanks to someone who came after you when you were lost.
