JESUS CHANGED EVERYTHING

“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,
I myself will gather the remnant of my flock
from all the lands . . . and I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them
so that they need no longer fear and tremble.

“I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;
he shall reign and govern wisely,
he shall do what is just and right in the land.” Jeremiah 23:3-4, 5-6

God has sent shepherds to guard, protect and guide his people. It is we, every single one of us who have been baptized into Christ: we are the shepherds who are to guard, protect and guide every single person of the past, present and future. That is and has been God’s plan ever since God created humanity.

JESUS CHANGED EVERYTHING

We are not living in Old Testament times. That was a time when God’s people were asking for a king, a leader, a shepherd to guard, protect and guide them. Then Jesus came and revealed that God’s plan was for each of us to be the priest, the prophet, the king and the shepherd. Listen to this passage from the Gospel of John.

“By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.

If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

‘I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

You are my friends if you do what I command you.

I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.

It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.

This I command you: love one another.'” John 15:8-17

SENSE THIS; LIVE TRUE TO THIS; BE GOD’S GRATEFUL DISCIPLES

O, the wisdom of God!
O, the generosity of God toward us
-toward you and me,
“designing”, “equipping” and “supporting” us,
gracing us directly from God, Himself,
and indirectly through the graced efforts
of one another.

Jesus encourages us
to go forth
to let those graces and blessings flow
-flow from God
– flow through us
And into all of God’s people,
into all of God’s world.

OUR WEEKLY (AND DAILY) EXPRESSION OF OUR RESPONSE TO GOD’S TRUST IN US

How am I going to join my fellow parishioners in doing this during the coming week?
Will I be at Mass at St. Michael’s this weekend so that the others there will see that I am joining Christ and them, that together we are going forth to be these God-enabled, God-sent shepherds?

We commit ourselves to leading lives worthy of God’s belief and trust in us. We will do all that we can to pour God’s blessing and graces into this town, these schools and workplaces, these families and friends.

Sister Loretta