Fourth Sunday of Easter (C)
April 29, 2010
Acts 13:14, 43-52 X Rev 7:9, 14b-17 X John 10:27-30
In a few moments, before receiving Holy Communion we will sing to Jesus: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us.
We have prayed these words for years. So often, that at times they are mere rote, we do not remember what they mean. Recall again, how at the first Passover, the angel of death “passed over” the homes marked with the blood of the lamb. Jesus is the new Lamb of God whose blood washes us clean of any sin and protects us from the effects of death. Is there any laundry detergent which can come anywhere close to the cleaning power of the blood of the Lamb of God? The Lamb of God gave his life for us. We are washed clean in his blood. We are given eternal life through the blood of the lamb. We remind ourselves of that washing every time we come into the church building – we bless ourselves with the Baptismal water! And in the Easter season we sprinkle ourselves with the Baptismal water during the Gloria.
John has this vision in The Book of Revelation, of the Assembly standing around the throne of the Lamb of God. The altar is symbolic of Jesus. YOU are standing around the Lamb of God. It is a vision of heaven, of eternal life. But do you see how our liturgy here at Saint Patrick is structured the same way! We all stand around the throne (the altar) of the Lamb of God and sing to the One who has saved us. We have a beautiful environment, welcoming greeters, hospitable assembly. It almost seems like heaven! Except for my singing and preaching. But that is to keep us longing for something better (heaven).
However, this Easter Gospel has a delightful juxtaposition of lamb and Shepherd. Jesus is both the Lamb and the Shepherd. We hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. In the wilderness, a shepherd calls out to the flock, gently speaking the names of the sheep. It is comforting to the flock, calls those who stray back from harm, and protects them from danger. For the sheep to hear the voice of their shepherd is to know they are safe; they are “comfortable words.” This is a copy of one of the earliest pieces of Christian art. The Good Shepherd is by far, the most popular Christian art of the first three centuries. http://www.christusrex.org/www1/vaticano/PC1-Cristiano.html
This depicts how the Good Shepherd cares so gently for us. Carrying us on his back.
Likewise, we hear his voice and are comforted by his words. We hear our Lord’s voice in each Gospel reading and respond with a vibrant “alleluia”. We hear our Lord’s voice as forgiveness is declared after our confession. We hear our Lord’s voice as he announces, This is my Body, broken for you,…” We hear the Shepherd’s voice in the teaching authority of the Church, in our tradition. Again and again, we, the flock that he shepherds, hear the voice of its Good Shepherd.
Clearly, the Shepherd wants us to follow him. Our Good Shepherd gathers us, but also calls us “to scatter” to go out and be a shepherd to others in need So as our Lord is caring for some of his sheep who are hungry or homeless or alone and frightened, Jesus calls us to follow him to these other sheep of his fold.
Each day, hundreds of you are shepherds, caring for the flock which we call family. Some of you teach and do research, caring for those entrusted to your care. Our Parish Council is presently doing a random survey, attempting to determine what needs are not being met, creatively thinking of better ways St. Thomas Aquinas can better care for those with special needs. Every Tuesday night, some buy, prepare, serve and eat a meal with those who come for the community meal. YOU could be one of those.
We have about 15 parishioners who volunteer at the Hospitality House. We have about 6 who work regularly at Habitat for Humanity. A group of our junior high students are going to do service work in Denver, while some of our high school students are going to do the same elsewhere, but it’s a “mystery adventure” for them so I cannot say where they are going.
Hundreds of you worked hard to put on the garage sale that not only helps significantly to pay off our parish debt, but also helped hundreds of people by providing items for them at an inexpensive price.
Funeral dinners, SVDP, Mathew 25, are some more of the many ways YOU are Shepherds, making life easier for others.
This are all examples of people around you have listen and have heard the voice of the Shepherd, calling them to care for those in need.
However, the world is constantly speaking its messages to us. We hear its voice almost without ceasing. Sometimes that voice can be contrary to the good shepherd. The voice of the world many times is: “Me first,” “Be good to yourself,” “Pamper yourself,” “Look out for number one,” “You only go around once,” It is the world which could attract us, snatch us, as it were, from the flock of the Lord.
If however, we are always attentive the voice of the Shepherd in our prayer life, private and communal, then there is nothing which can snatch us from the Good Shepherd.
“We are God’s people, the flock of the Lord.”