Today, the feast of the Good Shepherd, we pray "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall no want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. He guides me in right paths, for his name's sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil, for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage."
What more do I want or need? Nothing! My shepherd is the Lord. Like any good shepherd, the Lord is always on the watch to be sure that I am safe from evil, from enemies, from those who seek the ruin of my soul! I belong to the Good Shepherd and to no other. I know God's voice and God knows mine! Each day, God leads me to bountiful "pastures," and to "life-giving waters" that refresh me, strengthen me, purify me, make me whole and empower me to bear fruit that will last eternally!
The dark valleys are not dark because God goes before me and is the light that guides me to right paths. God walks beside me, carries a rod, lest any threatening "animal" approach me, and immediately hears my cry for help when I am in trouble and need His help!
Today, 63 years ago, my mother was approaching death, a time when each of us will need God's help. At the time of my writing this, my mother had less than 24 hours to live here on earth. As she approached the gate of death, God was with her. For her, and us, He is the gatekeeper of the gate to eternal life, as Jesus tells us in today's Gospel, John 10: 1-10: "Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep.....Whoever enters through me will be saved..." Sixty-three years ago on this day, the gates to heaven were opened by Jesus, who called by mother by name as she approached those gates. "The gatekeeper open[ed the gate for my mother, she heard] his voice,...and [was led into heaven]...." It was her time to enter eternal life and live with God forever in a place free of sin, a place of infinite love and incredible beauty and undeniable justice and everlasting peace.
My faith tells me that my mother was given a glorified body when she entered heaven. And just as Jesus, given a resurrected body was able to bi-locate and enter any room, even if the doors were locked, so, too, I believe, my mother can be with me and with all of her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great, great grandchildren whenever she so chooses. All of those living on the other side of the grave and part of the Church Triumphant, I believe, are with us, to help us in this valley of tears, this valley of darkness. Though we do not see them with our physical eyes, they are still with us, helping us as we encounter difficulties here on earth! They tell us what Peter tells us in the second reading of today's liturgy (1 Peter 2: 20b-25): "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...."
May I, and you, follow Jesus in this way and know that our loved ones who have gone before us are with us to help us in any way that we need help to live by faith!
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