The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friends in Christ,

Jesus draws a comparison between Himself and the leaders of the Jews. He refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd, a metaphor that signifies His sacrificial love and care for His followers. In contrast, the leaders of the Jews are depicted as hirelings, who are only concerned with their own well-being and do not genuinely care for the flock. They are more interested in what the flock can do for them, rather than what they can do for the flock. When the flock becomes a threat to them, they quickly abandon the flock and seek shelter for themselves.

Jesus and the shepherds of the Church, who are one with Him, continually watch over us. We are daily given food for our souls, led to green pastures and streams of flowing water, and given all the needs of our souls freely.

All things work for the good of those who love God. This life with its passing pleasures and crosses, joys and sorrows, are all given to us by God. They are food for our souls if we will only receive them well. The bitter crosses in our lives are for our souls like the green grass is for the sheep. These are given to us for our good. The Shepherd carries a crook to correct and turn around the sheep that are going astray. That correction often takes the appearance of some physical difficulty in our lives.

The cross or difficulties in our lives are not signs that God has forgotten or abandoned us. On the contrary, we should view the hardships in this life as healing remedies for our sins prescribed by the Divine Physician and administered to us by a truly loving Father. We should be thankful for the many impediments that get in the way of sinful or worldly pursuits that may lead us spiritually astray.

The Good Shepherd not only administers bitter herbal medicines to our souls but also shows us many pleasant things. Our lives here on earth frequently overflow with joys and pleasures that show us how good God is. The sun, moon, and stars; the plants and animals; the days and seasons are all signs of God's loving concern for us. It is shocking how few of us recognize these good gifts from God. They are so common and frequent that we often take them for granted. We fail to fully appreciate them and enjoy them as we should, but what is even worse is that we forget to thank the Creator for giving them to us.

Our Holy Mother the Church, in union with the Good Shepherd, offers her life for the flock. She administers corrections and penances for the good of our souls. The medicine is often bitter or painful, but it is lovingly administered for the benefit of our souls. As a loving Mother, the Church usually mixes a bit of sweetness with the correction or medicine to entice us to accept our crosses. She reminds us of the Resurrection, the ultimate triumph of life over death, as we fumble and struggle through Lent's penitential season.

She rebukes, admonishes, or entices us with rewards to help us endure the necessary corrective penance. The Church, with Jesus as Her Head, demands that we confess our sins at least once a year, but she also strives to make this as easy for us as she can. The humiliation and shame of confessing our sins are mitigated by the law of secrecy attached to the Sacrament. The penances are mild in comparison with what we truly deserve.

The Good Shepherd, the Church, and His worthy clergy also give us the reward of receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, so that we may taste and see how sweet the yoke of the Lord is. It is truly to our shame that the Church must command with a law for us to confess our sins at least once a year, but it is even more shameful that She must demand that we receive Holy Communion during the Easter Season.

The Good Shepherd is watching over us and caring for us through the Church and His faithful priests. We need only open the eyes of our souls to see this. That which is disagreeable to our natures is medicine for our souls and we should be grateful to God for them. That which is pleasant and sweet is an enticement for us to be thankful and increase our love and desire for the eternal pastures in Heaven.

All things work for the good of those who love God. Let us pray that the grain of love in our hearts may increase from day to day as we begin to recognize the loving hand of the Good Shepherd in all things, guiding us through this wilderness and into the eternal pastures of Heaven.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us!________________________________________

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