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Homilies are posted no later than during the week
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4 Easter
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Fourth
Sunday of Easter - Cycle C
John 10: 27-30
A preacher once told this story about everyone's favorite psalm, the
twenty third. In a family gathering, a youngster stood up and recited
it from memory. It was a beautiful rendition. His words flowed like
music. His folks applauded enthusiastically and asked him to do it a
second time. He proudly obliged. Then the patriarch stood up. In a
cracked and halting voice, he began, "The Lord is my shepherd. There is
nothing I shall want..." His family sat there hypnotized till the
conclusion. They were too overwhelmed to applaud. One of their company
later summed up the reaction of all, "The boy knows the psalm, but the
old man knows the shepherd."
A poet was sharing some of his work with an audience. He invited them
to listen not only with the ears of their head but also with the ears
in their hearts. We would do well to do something similar with today's
Gospel. It does much to flesh out the person of Jesus. He becomes less
a mystery and more an open book.
The Teacher refers to His relationship to us as that of shepherd to
sheep. Some of us might like to think that the application of shepherd
to Himself was original with Him. Yet, scholars are quick to burst our
bubble on that point.
As a matter of fact, the term shepherd applied to leaders was quite
common. The Greek poet Homer who lived out his life about a millennium
before the Christ called the celebrated soldier Agamemnon "the shepherd
of the people." And a trip to even a third rate museum on some city's
back streets will show you images of the pharaohs of Egypt standing
with the staff of the shepherd in their hands. Thus, when Jesus used
the term in reference to Himself, no one was surprised.
But, as we all know from history, not all shepherds are the same. Many
generals and pharaohs oftentimes seemed to be direct blood kin to such
as Ivan the Terrible or Messrs Stalin and Hitler. All in all, many
shepherds do a pretty dreadful number on their sheep.
But, as Arthur Tonne points out, the Christ took very special care of
the physical needs of His sheep. Luke 18 tells us he restored sight to
a blind man. John 2 tells us that Mary told her Son, "They have no
wine." And we all know what happened. Recall too the Roman officer who
pleaded with Him in Matthew 8 for his ill servant. It almost goes
without saying the servant was on his feet in an instant. Matthew 14
tells us what He did with five loaves and a few fish for a famished
mob. Surely our shepherd is one of a kind.
But His concern went beyond the physical. Eagerly this shepherd
listened to His sheep with both the ears of His head as well as the
ears in His heart. He was a most effective counselor,
advocate, and listener. There was about Him no condescension. He
was quite willing to spend, as we like to say, quality time with His
constituency. Check it out in the Gospels. Look up Nicodemus, the widow
of Nain, the blind fellow, the leper, etc. If you wanted His time,
consider it yours. His own agenda He put on the back burner. His time
becomes your time. You need no appointment to approach Him. This
shepherd is an all time winner.
And, as today's Gospel indicates, He was most anxious to get His sheep
out of this transitory life and into eternal life. In the words of the
union organizers of old, He believed not only in bread on the table but
roses too. His agenda was twofold - making both this life more
attractive and making heaven the final stop. If you have the patience
to hunt them out, you will find that references are made to eternal
life a dozen times from chapters 3 through 6 of John's Gospel. And
today's Gospel raises that number to a mighty thirteen. "I give them,
said the Nazarene, "eternal life; they will never be lost." (vs 28)
If you are given the option of knowing either Psalm 23 or the shepherd,
be smart. Choose the shepherd every time out.
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http://www.st.ignatius.net/pastor.html
4 Easter
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4th Easter: Jesus Did This for Us
Let
me begin today with a story about Mother Theresa. During her visit to
the United Nations several years ago, Mother Theresa was approached by
a diplomat who said, “I am not a Catholic, Mother. But I want to
know: how should I pray.” The frail little nun took his burly
hands in hers and spread out five of his fingers on one hand.
“When you pray,” she said, “Think about the many blessings you have
received; then, at the end of the day, count out on each finger the
words spoken to you by Jesus: You did this for me. The diplomat
left holding up his hand as though it were a trophy and saying: You did
this for me.
In
this simple prayer, Mother Theresa made real for the diplomat that the
Resurrection can and does live within every person. The love and
peace of the Good Shepherd is present to us in the many moments of
compassion that bless our lives. In kind words, in the listening ear,
in the generous actions of others for us, there is Jesus, doing this to
me. He is also present in the blessings we extend to
others. The Good Shepherd of today’s gospel, God’s Word of love
made flesh, guides us every day in our journey to the eternal life of
the Father.
“In
him, we live and move and have our being,” as St. Paul says to the
Athenians in Acts 17. We are protected from the rain of attacks
on our lives with the Divine Umbrella he extends over us. We live
under his merciful love for us.
Under the Mercy.
That
phrase was repeated over and over again in a wonderful book A Severe
Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken. Left to ourselves, we are inclined to
destroy the purpose for our existence and eliminate any meaning to our
lives. But committed to Christ, everything in our lives makes
sense, has meaning, has purpose. Our commitment to Christ
protects us from being destroyed by those who mock us and attack
us. Our commitment to Christ protects us from destroying
ourselves. This is the deep mercy of the Lord.
“Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ,” St. Paul tells
the Christians under persecution in Rome, “Neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor
powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to
separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The
vision of Revelation 7, our second reading for this Sunday, is that of
the countless number of the saved who have washed their robes and made
them white in the blood of the Lamb. Their robes are their
baptismal garments. More than that, their robes are their
baptismal lives. They have purified their lives, washed them,
made them white, by accepting the cross of Jesus, the blood of the
Lamb. Now they minister to the Lord before the throne of God in
eternal happiness.
They
would be the first to admit that the yoke of Christ was light, the
suffering they endured for standing up for him was minor, the path they
was led by Him was easy. The Divine Shepherd knows them, guides
them, and protects them so that their happiness may be eternal.
This
is the deep mercy of the Lord which we also enjoy. Your neighbors
laugh at you for your devotion to the Lord. They mock you widow
and widowers who have married each other in Christ because you have
sacrificed financial plans and married rather than live together in
sin. They mock you young parents who welcome the surprise
pregnancy rather than have that life destroyed. They attack you
honest people of various businesses for your just standards and try to
eliminate you from your positions because less honesty is more cost
effective. They insult you young people who are willing to be the
so-called only one who doesn’t drink, take drugs or have sex.
They can attack us, but they cannot destroy the peace and the love the
Jesus Christ within us. We live under the peace and mercy of the
Good Shepherd.
Under the mercy of the Lord we are protected from our worst enemy,
ourselves. We avoid that which destroys his presence in our homes
and hearts. This is a great mercy. Each of us knows that
which is self destructive in our lives. We continually petition
the Lord for strength to fight that which destroys us. In little
steps, sometimes too small to realize, we walk away from death and walk
with the Lord. We live under the mercy of Jesus Christ.
Life, meaningful life, is about Jesus Christ.
We
are called upon today to recognize his presence in our lives.
Like the disciples of Paul and Barnabas at the conclusion of
today’s first reading, the only real need we have in our lives is to
learn how to be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. For the
Mercy of God directs our lives to happiness.Jesus did this
for us. |
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http://www.geocities.com/seapadre_1999/
* available in Spanish - see
Spanish homilies
4 Easter
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One
With The Father
(April 25, 2010)
Bottom line: Jesus wants us to share his oneness with the Father - now.
At the end of next month we will celebrate the Feast of the Holy
Trinity: One God in three persons - the Father, his Son Jesus and the
Holy Spirit. This Sunday Jesus gives us a glimpse of that mystery. He
says, "The Father and I are one."
Jesus and his Father are one. How do we understand this unity? First we
need to look at the human level. Jesus has the same human nature as you
and I. In his humanity, he listens to the Father and does what the
Father tells him. We saw this most dramatically during Holy Week, when
Jesus faced the shame and humiliation of the cross. He begged his
Father to take that "cup" of suffering away from him, but also added,
"Not my will but thy will be done."
Jesus conformed his human will to the will of the Father. In his
humanity he could say, "The Father and I are one."
But there is a deeper level of unity between Jesus and his Father.
Jesus is not only human; he is divine. He and his Father are one being,
one substance. Early Christian writers used this comparison: The unity
of Jesus with his Father, they said, is like the unity of a spring of
water and the fountain that emerges from it. The spring and the
fountain are distinct, but they have a single reality - the same water
constitutes each one. Just so, Jesus and his Father are one being, one
substance.
Jesus is one with the Father in both his humanity and his divinity.
Today he intimates that he wants you and me to share that unity. He
speaks about us hearing his voice and following him. And that he will
"know" us and give us "eternal life." Now, Jesus is not talking here
about something that kicks in after we die. No, that new life ("eternal
life") begins now - or it does not begin at all. Jesus wants us to
share his oneness with the Father - now.
The reading from Revelation gives a picture of the new life: a vast
throng from every nation, all of them wearing elegant white robes and
hold palm branches. They have their attention focused on the "Lamb,"
Jesus. For sure, St. John is referring to a heavenly reality - the
Church Triumph - but he also includes us here on earth - the Church
militant.
In the first reading we see two great apostles facing obstacles. No one
likes insults and humiliations, but Paul and Barnabas accepted
hardships so that they could call people to Christ and his Church.
This Sunday we have a practical way we can support the Church - the
Annual catholic Appeal. Before asking you to fill out the pledge
envelope, I want to ask something else: To take a step back and think
about the privilege of being part of Jesus' Church - whether young or
old, whether doing well or going through hard times, you can take part.
I will explain more shortly. I ask you now to listen to our witness
speaker. A couple from our parish will speak about participation in the
Annual Catholic Appeal. With a prayer in your heart, please give your
full attention to..
**********
Spanish Version
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http://www.agreeley.com/homilies.html
4 Easter
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Background:
John’s Gospel has a heavy overlay of mystical imagery. Yet
today’s brief gospel seems clear and simple enough. However, it’s
revelation of the great tenderness of Jesus – undoubtedly based on
clear historical memories in the tradition – is richly mystical. All
will know that we are followers of Jesus by the love we have for one
another.
This is not a prediction which has yet been fulfilled.
Story:
Once upon a time there was a sergeant in the marines who was the
senior enlisted man in his platoon. One day his outfit was ambushed and
pinned down by enemy fire. The lieutenant in command was badly wounded
as were many of the men. The sergeant took over and extricated the men
from the trap, though he himself was wounded twice. He went back by
himself to carry out the wounded commanding officer. Miraculously every
man in the platoon survived, even the wounded lieutenant. Later the men
said that if it were not for the incredible bravery of the sergeant
they all would have been killed. He was always like a mother and a
father to us, they said. He was recommended for the Medal of Honor, but
did not receive it. However, he did receive the DFC. He never wore the
medal because he said the lives of his men were more important than any
medal. Later when he had children of his own, he loved them like a
mother as well as a father. His wife said that during the war he had
learned how to be tender. Of course people spit on him when he came
home and told him that it served him right that he had to limp all his
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http://www.saintvincentarchabbey.org/homilies/index.lasso
4 Easter
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Gospel
Summary Return to All Homilies
Apr, 25, 2010
John 10:27-30
Demetrius R. Dumm, O.S.B.
Fourth Sunday of Easter
Gospel Summary
In order to appreciate fully the import of this beautiful gospel
passage, we need to pay close attention to the context. Earlier in
chapter ten, Jesus had called himself the good shepherd and then
defined a good shepherd as one who loves his sheep and is prepared to
die for them. Sheep herding, contrary to some popular conceptions, is a
hard and lonely life, but the true shepherd loves his work and gladly
accepts many sacrifices in order to keep his flock safe and sound.
When Jesus says, therefore, that "My sheep hear my voice; I know them,
and they follow me," he is assuming that the sheep already know how
completely he has earned their trust. The sheep hear his distinctive
call and follow him, not just because he is an authority figure in
their lives, but because he has been such a good shepherd to them.
This example is, of course, only a metaphor for us Christians who
belong to the spiritual flock of Jesus. We are assumed to have
experienced his love and to know him so well that we implicitly trust
his message as well as his promise of eternal life.
Life Implications
To belong to the spiritual flock of Jesus is to hear his voice. This
means much more than simply reading or hearing about him. Such
information is always helpful, but the decisive moment comes when we go
beyond external testimony and begin to discover Jesus at the center of
our lives in a profoundly intuitive and trusting manner.
In the analogy that Jesus uses, we can be sure that the sheep who hear
their shepherd's call do not go through some "rational" process before
deciding to respond. On the contrary, there is, ever so gradually, an
instinctive and whole-hearted recognition of the call and a total trust
in the concern and devotion of the one who has already demonstrated his
love and care for them.
In the case of us Christians, this is a spiritual bond that can be
stronger than death. As Jesus tells us, nothing and no one can "take
them out of my hand." The only precondition on our part is that we
continue to trust the "way of Jesus," which means that we use our
freedom and strength to be a loving, caring presence in our world. We
can do this most effectively in the context of a supportive community
and with the nourishment of the Eucharist.
When Jesus concludes by making the dramatic claim that "the Father and
I are one," he is not just assuring us of his equal status in the
Trinity of divine Persons. Rather, he is confirming that the life that
he offers to us is the same life that he shares with the Father. This
is made clear when he says, in the context of the Eucharist, "Just as
the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever
eats me will live because of me" (6:57). It is divine and unending life
that the good shepherd wants for us and we can be sure of having that
life if we pass on to others the same selfless love that he has shown
to us.
Demetrius R. Dumm, O.S.B.
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http://www.christusrex.org/www1/mcitl/lowhome.html Meeting Christ in the Liturgy
4 Easter
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Fourth
Sunday
Acts 13, 14. 43-52; Psalm 100; Revelation 7, 9. 14-17; St. John 10,
27-30
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Acts 13, 14.43-52; Ps 100, 1-2.3.5.; Rev 7, 9.14-17; Jn 10, 27-30.
"The Father and I are one." (Jn 10, 30.)
Only the divine identity of Jesus' person can justify so absolute a
claim as "He who is not with me is against me"; and his saying that
there was in him "something greater than Jonah,...greater than
Solomon,' something "greater than the Temple"; his reminder that David
had called the Messiah is Lord, (Cf. Mt 12:6, 30, 36, 37, 41-42.) and
his affirmations, "Before Abraham was, I AM"; and even "I and the
Father are one." (Jn 8:58; 10:30.) (CCC 590)
There is and can be no mistaking it: the Lord knew and revealed his
divinity by his words and works. Let us now acknowledge him Lord and
God, that never denying him, we may never fear that he will deny us
before our heavenly Father. Let the Christ of the gospels, "the same
yesterday, today and forever" fully reveal himself in all his splendor
and glory so that knowing him as he really is, we may one day be like
him, in seeing him "face to face".
Let's pray for each other until, together next week, we "meet Christ in
the liturgy", Father Cusick
(See also nos. 587-589 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.)
(Publish with permission.)
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http://www.ctk-thornbury.org.uk/
4 Easter
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Father Bonar will not be posting homilies for Cycle B to allow himself
time for other projects. His collection of homilies (including homilies
for Cycle B) is available at www.clydebonar.com.
4 Easter |
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These
homilies may be copied and adapted for your own use;
however, they may not be commercially published without permission of
the author. |
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