4th Sunday of Easter: "Who do you smell like?"

The Word for Sunday: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/042615.cfm

Pope Francis’ famous advice to priests at the annual Chrism Mass in Rome last year: “Be shepherds with the smell of sheep,” takes on a beautiful reinforcement this Sunday in Jesus’ words from the Gospel: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep . . . I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me.” While a call to all of us “shepherds” in priestly ministry it is also the call to all of us Christians, wherever we may find ourselves. In our vocations we are all called to smell like the sheep.

But, what does it mean to take on the odor of a not too bright animal? We are not obviously supposed to smell like wet sheep (not pleasant) but it certainly makes a point about ministry and service. I doubt any other Pope has ever used shepherd talk in just this way but it hits home like the parables of Jesus.

To so identify with someone, like a shepherd with his flock, is to know them, to understand them, to sympathize and to celebrate with them; to walk among them in a caring and sympathetic way. Like spouses who are married for many years. Over time, they come to know each other so well they can communicate without words because they know how the other spouse thinks and feels.
All it might take is a certain expression on their face, a gesture of the hand, and kind of non-verbal signal that speaks loudly.

Before they make a decision or bring up a problem they can say to themselves, “I know what he/she will say.” “I know how they will react.” or even, “I know what you’re thinking.” All without words because they know each other so well. In a sense, you might say they smell like each other. Hopefully, the fragrance is pleasant! It’s even not unusual that after so many years together if one spouse dies the other may not be far behind.

So our readings on this “Good Shepherd Sunday” present to us a shepherd (Christ himself) who cares so deeply for his sheep that he not only knows them so intimately but he will willingly die for them: “I will lay down my life for my sheep.” No other shepherd would do such. For Jesus, his presence among us is not a job or occupation it is a relationship of love and life. But, do we his sheep really know our Shepherd? Or perhaps to put it another way – Do we smell like the shepherd?

The Sunday’s Gospel passage from John really does reflect the experience of the early Church towards the end of the first century when both Jew and Gentile (I have other sheep) are by now an ordinary part of the Christian community. In fact the Church is predominantly Gentile among the believers and the Church is distinct from the Jewish community. The passage reflects the experience of ministry with all of its beauty and tensions.

Christians were a people who could be “smelled” a mile away. The Church, all Catholic of course, was several centuries away from being the religion of the Empire so they were a gathering of people suspect and occasionally persecuted, at times ruthlessly so by Roman Emperors with such infamous names as Nero and Diocletian.

What made those early Christians so identifiably fragrant? It was their identity with Jesus and the Gospel Way. The Church’s honor for the thousands over the first few centuries who gave their lives in martyrdom is legendary. Those who knew how they smelled yet were not apologetic for it shed their own blood like their shepherd had done for them.

As we hear in our first reading from Acts, Peter filled with the Spirit (post-Pentecost) boldly proclaims by the name and person of Jesus that, “It was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean” crucified and risen that “this man stands before you healed.” In Jesus name miracles continued to happen and the name of Jesus Christ is the one by which salvation is offered. Yes, you could smell them from afar.

Can you imagine if Peter, Paul or any of the other Apostles would have had access to the internet and all of our present means of instant communication? We are so accustomed to our internet, Facebook, email, texting, cell phones, television and tweets that such means of spreading a message would have boggled the minds of these courageous men. Many centuries later, our culture of today may smell very differently. In the end, however, our Christian way of life is essentially about relationships.

We are in a bond, both human and spiritual, with Jesus Christ. Made his children in baptism, born into the new life of his death and resurrection, we take on a particular odor. In the Gospel Jesus speaks of a relationship he has with his Father: “Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father . . .” For his dying and rising was the work of Father, Son and Spirit. And we, as his sheep, are now invited into that same covenant of love and life. Our Shepherd knows us intimately. He calls us by name (our Vocations) to lives of love and service but it is the Trinity of Persons operative in our life at the same time.

Our Eucharist each week is a moment of relationship as we receive this good shepherd who gave his life and now feeds his sheep with his own flesh and blood. And when we receive, we smell like him.

Have you ever said to someone, “You smell like Jesus.” Probably not but maybe this weekend it would be good to see Christ in others and to point out their scent. “You smell like love. You smell like humility. You smell like mercy or compassion. You smell like self-sacrifice. You smell like courage. You smell like holiness. You smell like the Holy Spirit. You smell like Jesus!

Who do YOU smell like?

Look upon your flock, kind shepherd,

and be pleased to settle in eternal pastures

the sheep you have redeemed

by the Precious Blood of your son.

Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

(Prayer after Communion)

Journeying from Regret to Joy

Fr. Nnamdi Moneme, OMV

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The disciples were still incredulous for joy.

I knew one of my parishioners as a quiet devout lady who attended Holy Mass every morning. All I remember about her was greeting her and saying goodbye to her every day after Mass. After she suddenly passed away, her daughter told me things that I never would have guessed about her mother. Every single day of her life, the deceased rose around 2 am to spend hours in prayer. I was really edified. Then the daughter showed me her mother’s prayer book, and behold, I found my name along with the names of many other people written in her prayer book. She was praying and sacrificing herself for me all these while and I never recognized her, I never knew what moved her, I never spent time with her, I never had a chance to chat with her, I never expressed my gratitude to her. Talk about a sense of regret that came over me.

Think of this: I regretted not recognizing and appreciating more a woman who prayed and sacrificed for me. How much more will the regret be if I do not recognize in this life Jesus Christ who suffered, died and was raised for me? I wondered, is my life today “a life of faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given Himself up for me?”(Gal 2:20)

In the First Reading, St. Peter describes Jesus as the “Holy and righteous one” who was not recognized by the people. Jesus, who “did all things well,”(Mk 7:37) who went about “doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil,”(Acts 10:38) and whose suffering and death “was announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets,” was not still not recognized as the Messiah by His people. On the contrary, they put Him to death, preferring instead the murderer Barabbas.

Before we berate the Jews for their blindness and inability to recognize Jesus despite all the amazing things that He did and the affirming words of the prophets, let us reflect on the words of the Catechism:

Since our sins made the Lord suffer the torment of the cross, those who plunge themselves into disorders and crimes crucify the Son of God anew in their hearts (for He is in them) and hold Him up to contempt. And it can be seen that our crime in this case is greater in us than in the Jews. (CCC#598)

Jesus lives in our hearts today and He performs many amazing things for us today. St. John teaches us in today’s Second Reading that Jesus is both our “advocate with the Father” and “expiation for our sins.” As our expiation, He has won forgiveness for our sins. As our perpetual advocate, all sacramental graces, blessings, virtues, strength, truly good and holy desires come from the risen Christ. We have every reason to recognize Him now and we also have greater regret in store for us if we fail to do so but choose to crucify Him by our sins and refusal to repent.

Sunday’s readings bring before us the call to move from regrets to joy by recognizing in our midst the presence of the Crucified and Risen Author of life. In raising His Son from the dead, our Father beckons on us to journey away from regrets towards a real participation in the paschal joy of the risen Christ. We can discern from today’s readings five ways of recognizing Christ with us in our lives and the joyful hope that comes from this recognition.

We recognize Jesus with us through prayer, by listening to His words and speaking to Him. In listening to Jesus’ words without knowing that it was Him, the two disciples on the way to Emmaus recounted, “Where not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures for us?”(Lk 24:32) This was no monologue but an honest dialogue as they also responded to Jesus’ words by honestly sharing with Him their regrets and frustrated hopes, “But we were hoping that He (Christ) would be the one to redeem Israel.”(Lk 24:21) When we too prayerfully read the scriptures with faith and speak to Him from our hearts without any pretense, we allow the risen Christ to set our hearts on fire too and we begin to recognize His presence with us.

Secondly, we recognize Jesus with us through ongoing repentance from our sins. St. Peter reminds the Jews in the First Reading of their regretful ignorance but does not leave them in regrets. Repentance begins the journey away from regrets to joy, “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.” Sin blinds us to Christ’s presence with us but our honest acceptance of our sinful past and our journey back towards God opens our eyes to recognize Him. In this light, the Sacrament of confession bestows both forgiveness of sins and light to recognize in our lives the presence of the Lord who forgives us our sins.

Thirdly, we recognize Jesus with us through the Eucharist. The disciples first recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread: “Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” Upon appearing to them, Jesus invites them to touch Him: “Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” It is primarily in the Eucharist that we touch the body and blood of the God-Man Jesus Christ and allow Him to open the eyes of our hearts to His living presence. Faith in the Real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is the first step to recognizing His presence in daily life.

Fourthly, we recognize Jesus with us through our proclamation of Christ, seeking to make others know Him better. We must proclaim the One whom we have encountered in the Eucharist if we are going to recognize His abiding presence. The two disciples enjoyed a longer vision of the risen Christ than their earlier brief experience of Him at Emmaus because they refused to keep their earlier experience to themselves: “They recounted what had taken place on the way, and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” The disciples are then called to be witnesses to the risen Christ they had recognized: “You are witnesses to these things.” Our firm and unwavering resolve to make Christ better known to others by our words and actions further disposes us to recognize His presence with us.

Fifthly, we recognize Jesus with us through the community of the Church. All the appearances of the risen Christ were either in the community or involved a call to community. Mary of Magdala had tried to hold on to the humanity of the risen Christ but Jesus sends her back to the community: “Stop holding on to me…But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”(Jn20:17) We will recognize Him in our midst when we see Him in others and serve them with love. His presence in the community is so tangible that “in receiving the least in Hisname, we receive Him.”(Mk 10:37) We cannot forsake the community of the Church and hope to recognize Christ in our midst. Let us resist the temptation to try to live the Christian life as lone rangers. We need others.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the disciples where “incredulous for joy and were amazed” because they recognized the risen Christ in their midst. They let go of their regrets and broken hopes about Him and their decisions to follow Him. This too can be our own story if we make use of the above means of recognizing Jesus in our hearts today and His continuous action in our lives no matter what the past may have been. A joyful hope awaits those who recognize Him today.

This same risen Christ whom we encounter in this Eucharist “lives to make intercessions for us.”(Rom 8:34) He prays for us in heavenly glory and on earth He pursues all of us, even those who do not seek for Him. Like a person mad with love, He never ceases to show us His sacred wounds to invite us to journey from regrets about failures, sins, sufferings, etc into His own deep abiding resurrection joy, a joy that this world cannot bring.

We have a choice to make – live in regret or journey to joy. We will enter into His own joy if we recognize Jesus Christ in this life. But, if after all that Christ has done for us and all that He still obtains for us today from Heaven, we still fail to recognize Him, then we will surely regret it in this life and in the life to come.

Glory to Jesus!!! Honor to Mary!!!

Scripture Speaks: The Good Shepherd

Gayle Somers

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Today, Jesus speaks of Himself as “the Good Shepherd,” an identification that reaches back all the way to Moses and forward all the way to every bishop’s staff. How?

Gospel (Read Jn 10:11-18)

In St. John’s Gospel, after a long description of Jesus’ healing of a man born blind (with all the disputation it caused among Jewish leaders) in the preceding chapter, Jesus begins speaking of Himself as “the Good Shepherd.” Any Jew listening to this kind of talk would immediately be immersed in the vast Old Testament context of God’s relationship with shepherds. Recall that when He first appeared to Moses at the burning bush, Moses was shepherding a flock (see Ex 3:1). It was Moses’ shepherd staff that God used as the focal point for many of the miraculous works He did in Egypt to convince Pharaoh to free His people. Later, when it was time for a new king of Israel to be chosen, the prophet, Samuel, was directed to David, a mere shepherd boy. In spite of his youth, David’s heart belonged to God, and he was willing to risk his life to defeat Goliath, the mighty Philistine warrior who taunted and terrified the men of Israel. When David lobbied hard to be allowed to undertake this dangerous mission, he drew on his experience of being a shepherd who defended his flock from wild animals: “The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (see 1 Sam 17:27). David’s courage came from his confidence in God; armed with only a shepherd’s slingshot and five smooth stones, he defeated the giant of a man who had threatened to enslave all Israel (see 1 Sam 17:9). The five stones of David foreshadow the five wounds of Jesus (feet, hands, side) that defeated our terrifying enemy, the devil—the one who likewise sought to enslave all men.

Finally, during the time of the Exile, when the Jews experienced punishment in a foreign land for their covenant infidelity, God promised through the prophet, Ezekiel, that someday He Himself would shepherd His flock (see Ezek 34:11-16), leading them out of captivity and back to the green pastures of the Promised Land. God also promised to send His people another servant like David: “And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them…and be their shepherd” (see Ezek 34:23).

So, when Jesus announces, “I am the Good Shepherd,” He is drawing on this rich Old Covenant preparation to identify Himself as the Divine (“I am” is God’s Holy covenant Name) Son of David, who has come to care for God’s flock. He will not only lead the flock but will also be willing to die for them. This is the true test of a shepherd’s love! The “hired man” flees from that kind of devotion to the sheep; he is not willing to die for them. Jesus, however, says, “I lay down My life. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own in order to take it up again.” His enemies would soon appear to be taking His life from Him, as they arrest and crucify Him. Yet we know that Jesus could have called down a legion of angels to deliver Him, had He so desired. Instead, He freely gave His life so that the murderous assault against Him could be transformed into liberation for all men—not just for the Jews, but for all God’s sheep, including those who “do not belong to this fold” (the Gentiles). This is the Good Shepherd for whom the whole world has been waiting.

Is it any wonder, then, that today’s successors to those whom Jesus put in charge of God’s flock after His departure (the Pope and bishops) carry the shepherd’s staff? Jesus, the Good Shepherd, continues to speak to and guide God’s flock, the Church, through them. This He does by a charism of the Holy Spirit. No human being can do a work like this on his own. However, by Jesus’ commission, His apostles were to be in this world as He was. The sheep have not been left to fend for themselves. If we follow the shepherd’s staff carried by the Pope and the bishops in union with him, we shall find green pasture for our souls.

Possible response: Lord Jesus, help me remember that I am a sheep and You are the Shepherd, that I need to follow and not try to lead.

First Reading (Read Acts 4:8-12)

In this passage, we can see for ourselves that Jesus truly did give His own charism of leadership to the apostles He had chosen to be His presence in the world. Peter and John had just cured a cripple on their way to the Tempe to pray, and they got hauled before the Jewish authorities to explain themselves. Peter tells them that the miracle, although done through their human action, was accomplished “in the Name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified.” It is in that Name alone that men find salvation, although the message of salvation (preaching the Gospel) and the means of it (baptism) are delivered through human agency, just as we find everywhere in the Acts of the Apostles.

Peter also reminds his accusers that they had rejected Jesus. He quotes from Psalm 118, which is a reflection on how God chooses to do His great work in the world by means of reversal. With God, things are not as they seem. Peter appropriately refers to his accusers as “builders,” because, as administrators of the Temple in Jerusalem, they oversaw a lengthy construction project there that lasted many years. The “stone” they rejected, Jesus, actually became the “cornerstone” of the new Temple of His Body, the place of true communion between God and man.

It is interesting to ponder a similar rejection of a “stone” in our own Christian history. When Jesus gave the keys of the kingdom of His Church to Simon, changing his name to “Peter,” or “rock,” He said: “Upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (see Mt 16:18). Both our Orthodox and Protestant brothers in the faith have rejected this stone, at least for a time. Someday, all believers will recognize that the rejected “rock” of Peter has always been the cornerstone upon which Jesus kept His promise to protect His flock from wolves.

Possible response: Heavenly Father, sometimes I want to reject a “stone” upon which You want to build something in my life. Help me be willing to slow down and take a second look.

Psalm (Read Ps 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28-29)

The psalmist reflects upon the goodness, mercy, and kindness of the LORD. God gives His flock safe refuge; He answers the cry of those who call upon Him. He is the One who works wonders of reversal in the world’s history:“The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.” The Jews rejected Jesus because, although a man, He called Himself by God’s own Name: “I am.” How could an ordinary human being be God? Interestingly, in verses not included in today’s Gospel reading, the Jews were outraged by Jesus’ claim to be Israel’s Good Shepherd: “There was a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, ‘He has a demon, and He is mad; why listen to Him?’” [Similar things have been said about the Church’s claim that Peter’s successor, the Pope, is the Vicar of Christ, speaking with His Voice in matters of dogma and morals.]

Nevertheless, the psalmist understands that God takes the “wisdom” of this world and stands it on its head: “By the LORD has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes.”

Possible response: The psalm is, itself, a response to our other readings. Read it again prayerfully to make it your own.

Second Reading (Read 1 Jn 3:1-2)

When we absorb our other readings today, are we not ready to say with St. John in this epistle: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God”? To be in God’s flock, to be one of the sheep for whom Jesus died, is to be lifted up out of this world, even though we are still in it. It is to sink our roots down deep into the reality of God’s reversals. Here, St. John touches on another topsy-turvy truth, one that defies all imagination: “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” Did ever a sheep expect to become like the Shepherd? “By the LORD has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes” (Ps 118:23).

Possible response: Lord Jesus, I know that You are shepherding me toward a transformation into perfect Love, as You are Yourself. I barely know how to thank You for this. Words fail.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 31, Issue 3

<< Sunday, April 26, 2015 >>

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Acts 4:8-12
1 John 3:1-2
View Readings

Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28-29
John 10:11-18
Similar Reflections

THE LIFE OF A SHEEP

"I am the Good Shepherd; the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." —John 10:11

"I am the Good Shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me." —John 10:14

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and we are His sheep. To be called a sheep is not a compliment. Sheep are sheepish, that is, backward and timid. Sheep can't even eat grass without destroying the field where the grass grows. That's one of the reasons they need shepherds to move them elsewhere. When Jesus called us "sheep," He implied that we weren't just weak but helpless. Without Him we can do nothing (Jn 15:5).

We sheep, who are so pathetic, have a hard time living under the easiest circumstances. What will we do in difficult and dangerous circumstances? Thieves are coming "only to steal and slaughter and destroy" us (Jn 10:10). Wolves are trying to snatch, scatter, and kill us (Jn 10:12). Some of these wolves are in sheep's clothing (Mt 7:15), so some of those we consider our friends are actually our enemies. Furthermore, some of our shepherds upon whom we are counting to protect us are merely hired hands who will abandon us and leave us to be slaughtered (Jn 10:12).

We sheep are simple, weak, and in a "heap of trouble." Our only Hope is Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Follow Jesus.

Prayer: Jesus, Good Shepherd, lead me through the valley of the shadow of death (Ps 23:4, RSV-CE).

Promise: "See what love the Father has bestowed on us in letting us be called children of God! Yet that is what we are." —1 Jn 3:1

Praise: Praise Jesus, Who holds "the keys of death and the nether world" (Rv 1:18). Praise You, Good Shepherd, that no one can snatch us out of Your hand (Jn 10:28). Alleluia forever!

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