In today's Gospel, John 10: 11-18, Jesus says to us: "I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep...."
Jesus is saying to you, to me: I know you just as the Father knows me and He knows the Father! That is knowledge of our whole selves--body, mind and spirit! It is knowledge of all of our weaknesses, all our temptations, all of our strengths, all our desires, and of whatever motivates us throughout the day! And not only does He know what is going on for us, He also knows how to help us through the issues that overwhelm us, trouble us or darken our ability to see clearly what is God's will for us. He also knows what gifts of the Holy Spirit we need to manage the difficulties in ways that strengthen our faith, our trust and love of God, others and self! It is also clear that Jesus knows when "wolves" are threatening our well-being--body, mind and spirit. And He is not afraid! If necessary, He will put His life on the line for us and did so, once for all!
Could there be a better Shepherd to guard our souls, protect our bodies and prepare our minds to know when "wolves" are approaching and which path to choose by which we will be safe? Absolutely not! Never! No way!
Showing posts with label protecting us. Show all posts
Showing posts with label protecting us. Show all posts
Monday, May 4, 2020
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Jesus' prayer for His disciples
In today's first reading, Acts 20: 28-38, Paul says to the church of Ephesus and to us: "Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the Church of God that he acquired with his own Blood. I know," Paul says to us, "that after my departure savage wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock.'" In today;s Gospel, John 17: 11b-19, Jesus begs His Father, and ours, to "keep...[us] in...[His] name," to "keep...[us] from the Evil One," and to "consecrate...[us] in the truth."
The Lord, through St. Paul, is reminding us that, as Church, we are a garden purchased by Jesus' Blood and by His surrendering His life to the Father even until death on a cross. The Holy Spirit, Paul tells us in Acts 20: 28-38, has appointed each of us as a gardener. We have been given the task of cultivating this sacred garden, lovingly tending to it, nurturing it with love, purifying it with forgiveness of self and others and by repentance of our sins, strengthening it with the Word, the sacraments and prayer, and fertilizing it with obedience and trust in our God, our Father, , as Jesus trusted the Father even to death, death on a cross.
Knowing how difficult it would be for us to cultivate this living garden of faith, Jesus, just before going to the Garden of Gethsemane to surrender to his killers, prayed for us. He asked His Father to keep us in His name and to keep us away from the Evil One, that is from "savage wolves" that would enter the Garden of the Church, that is, that would descend upon our lives. He also asked the Father to consecrate us in the truth, in the Word of God. God the Father will not disappoint His Son. Every day He preserves us in His name, guards us from falling into Satan's traps, and consecrates us in truth!What an awesome God!
The Lord, through St. Paul, is reminding us that, as Church, we are a garden purchased by Jesus' Blood and by His surrendering His life to the Father even until death on a cross. The Holy Spirit, Paul tells us in Acts 20: 28-38, has appointed each of us as a gardener. We have been given the task of cultivating this sacred garden, lovingly tending to it, nurturing it with love, purifying it with forgiveness of self and others and by repentance of our sins, strengthening it with the Word, the sacraments and prayer, and fertilizing it with obedience and trust in our God, our Father, , as Jesus trusted the Father even to death, death on a cross.
Knowing how difficult it would be for us to cultivate this living garden of faith, Jesus, just before going to the Garden of Gethsemane to surrender to his killers, prayed for us. He asked His Father to keep us in His name and to keep us away from the Evil One, that is from "savage wolves" that would enter the Garden of the Church, that is, that would descend upon our lives. He also asked the Father to consecrate us in the truth, in the Word of God. God the Father will not disappoint His Son. Every day He preserves us in His name, guards us from falling into Satan's traps, and consecrates us in truth!What an awesome God!
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