May 15, 2011
Fourth Sunday of Easter
By Rev. Joe Mc Closkey, SJ
"Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Acts 2:40b
But if you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps. 1 Peter 2:20b-21
I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. John 10:9
Piety
By our piety we recognize the voice of Christ. The voice speaks to us in the good people of the flock. We all respond to the Christ who is the good shepherd. The voice of Christ draws us together in community. Christ is the good Shepherd who rights us when we are down and out. The sheep that is on its back is unable to right itself. It loses its equilibrium. Christ is the one who lifts us up when we are unable to rise on our own. His graces abound where temptation is strong. Christ is like the good shepherd that checks out each of its sheep to make sure they are well. Christ leads us to good pasture where we can feed our needs. Christ is the way and the door of the sheepfold. He guards his sheep from those that would hurt them. He goes out and searches for the sheep that is lost. It is Christ that gives his life for his flock. He knows us even better than we know him.
Study
We study the life of Christ to discover how he loves us and how he calls us to follow in his footsteps. He leads us in verdant pastures where there is more than enough for our nourishment. He takes care of our thirst by leading us by restful waters where our thirst can be taken care of and our soul can be refreshed. Because Christ walks by our side we can have confidence in the right path. He gives us courage by our confidence in his rod and staff. Our cup overflows with the richness of his love for us. He allows us to dwell in his house all the days of our life. We discover our closeness to him when we suffer for his name’s sake. Christ himself bore our sins on his cross so that we can return to him free from sin.
Action
The Lord calls us and we must respond. We bring our sinfulness to the Christ of the Sacrament of reconciliation and know ourselves as forgiven by his dying on the cross for us. He sends the Holy Spirit upon us that we might live our lives in the richness of the gifts of the Spirit. Our minds are touched by wisdom, counsel, knowledge and understanding and the things of God lay open to our mind. Our hearts are strengthened by piety, fortitude and fear of the Lord that we might truly be children of God in all we say and do in the name of Christ. We know for certain that God has made both Lord and Christ, this shepherd that leads us to such rich pasture that our hearts overflow with the presence of the God within. We are the flock of the Lord and he is our shepherd.
