Laudet Dominum

“The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.” Psalm 23 is probably the most recognizable of the Psalms, and definitely the most popular. It’s easy to see why, as the Psalm evokes a very peaceful scene of a beautiful, grass covered landscape with sheep peacefully grazing and a shepherd calmly watching over his flock.

Today, on this Fourth Sunday of the Easter Season, we celebrate what is commonly known as Good Shepherd Sunday. In addition, this Sunday is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. It’s no coincidence that we celebrate both on the same day, as the two are intrinsically linked. Our understanding of Christ as the Good Shepherd influences our understanding of religious vocations.

In the passages we just heard, we see Christ symbolized as a Good Shepherd, who leads, protects, and guides his flock. As Christians, we are members of this flock. I once heard someone say that it was an insult to be called sheep, as sheep are usually portrayed as slow, stupid creatures that follow their shepherd blindly. This isn’t the case, however, as sheep are actually quite intelligent, as far as animals go. As the Gospel tells us, they can recognize the voice of their shepherd and follow him, while shying away from those whose voices they don’t recognize.

In our world today, many voices try to draw us away from the Good Shepherd. Popular media, such as movies, television shows, and music, try to draw us one way. News channels and programs bring another call. Even the day-to-day demands of life provide an alternative message. Through all this noise, how can we hear the voice of our Good Shepherd calling us to him?

To help us to follow him, we have the Church, which is symbolized as a sheepfold, a fenced-in pen used for protection of the flock. The sheepfolds were used by shepherds to corral the sheep every evening so that they wouldn’t wander away while the shepherd slept, but it also protected the sheep from predators and those who would try to steal the sheep from the shepherd. The teaching office of the Church, the Magisterium, keeps us from wandering away from Jesus and falling into error, but is also called to protect us from those who would cause our spiritual lives harm.

Christ has also given us earthly shepherds to lead and guide us to him. Bishops and priests are members of the Church called to act on Jesus’ behalf. In fact, when the Pope visits the United States next week, his aircraft will be known as “Shepherd 1”, a recognition of his role as earthly shepherd serving the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

All of us have a vocation that we’re called to. For most Christians, indeed the great majority of Christians, the call is to live in the world, whether in the married or single state. This is a highly important vocation, and should not be minimized by anyone. Some men and women are called to enter into a religious vocation, giving up everything to spend their lives working and praying for the coming of the Kingdom. Other men, such as myself, are called to enter the ministerial priesthood, serving the Lord and his people by preaching the word of God, administering the sacraments, and reaching out to those in need.

In the United States, there is a concern within the Church regarding the number of vocations. Many diocese, my own included, are either facing a priest shortage, or will be soon. Many religious orders are also having problems with lack of potential vocations. How do we overcome this problem? First, we must pray for those who are in a religious vocation, those who are discerning a religious vocation, and those who may be called, but haven’t answered yet. Second, we must be willing to ask if a young man has considered the priesthood, or if a young man or woman has considered religious life. Chicago’s Called by Name program is an excellent opportunity for this. In my own life, I had someone tell me three times (not ask, mind you, but tell me) that I was going to be a priest. At first, I said no, but her words came back to me several years later. Without that seed being planted, I may never have considered entering the seminary.

Today, on this World Day of Prayer for Vocations, let us pray for those men and women discerning their vocations, and let us also pray that more young men and women may hear the call of the Good Shepherd and answer willingly.

When I began my Bible study last Monday, I introduced a quote from one of the great doctors and biblical scholars of the Church, St. Jerome. St. Jerome lived in the 4th and 5th Centuries, and is known for creating the Vulgate, a translation of the Scriptures into Latin. In his commentary on one of the prophets, he writes, “Ignorance of Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” We need to be well versed in the Scriptures if we are to take seriously the call of Jesus to preach the Gospel message to the whole world, as we need to understand that how that Gospel message lives in our lives.

We can see St. Jerome’s maxim in practice in the Gospel today. The two disciples were very familiar with the texts of Sacred Scripture. As Jews, they knew the stories of the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They were intimately familiar with the Exodus and Moses receiving the Law. They heard the words of the prophets proclaimed regularly during synagogue and temple services. They knew the texts of the Scriptures, but they didn’t understand how these sacred texts pointed towards Jesus, especially that he must suffer, die and rise again.

As they were walking, Jesus joined them, but they didn’t realize that it was him. Maybe they were deep in grief, maybe Jesus had the ability to mask awareness of himself, but either way they didn’t know they were speaking to Jesus resurrected from the dead. As Jesus broke down the Scriptures, making the connections between the Mosaic Law and the prophets that pointed to him, they began to become aware that Scripture had foretold Jesus’ death and resurrection. They still weren’t aware that Jesus was speaking to them until the breaking of the bread, a phrase commonly used to refer to the Eucharist. At that point, the Gospel tells us that their eyes were opened, and they realized who was speaking to them. In joy, they rushed back to Jerusalem to share with the Apostles and other disciples their incredible experience.

When we read the Bible, do we feel this desire to share what we’ve read? Probably not. For many of us, the Scriptures are hard to understand. There are concepts and phrases which are foreign to us, with good reason. The Scriptures were written in different times for different cultures. While we may not understand the literal texts that we read, there are still truths that are conveyed to us today. This truth may be hard to find, but there are tools and opportunities available to us that lead to understanding.

Probably the most obvious opportunity that we have is the one that we are using right now. Every time we attend Mass, whether weekly or daily, passages of the Scriptures are proclaimed. At every Mass, the Church asks that a homily be given on the Scriptures so that all present might understand the passages that were just proclaimed. This is usually done by the priest, but obviously deacons can fill this role as well. The homilist should dig deeper into the Scriptures so that he can show how they relate to people’s daily lives.

Another way in which we can find the truth within the Scriptures is through daily immersion into them. Daily reading and reflection on the Scriptures is not something that is reserved to those who are ordained or professed religious, but is highly encouraged for all Christians. All of us should be opening the Scriptures daily. This can be as simple as reading a verse or two before bed, but can also include reading commentaries and reflections on the daily Mass readings. There are many good resources online and in libraries and Catholic book stores to provide clarity and understanding, especially for those passages that may seem a bit murky or confusing.

For the third way to understand the Scriptures, I’m going to do a little self-promotion. A fantastic way to really dig into the Scriptures is through a Bible study, which I just happen to be leading on Mondays at 6:30 PM. Through a Bible study, whether in a class format as I’m running it, a group study using a guidebook, or even on an individual basis with a good study bible, the Scriptures are broken down so that the beauty and truth can shine through more clearly. Group studies are particularly beneficial, as difficult questions can be explored and bring clarity to hard to understand passages. Likewise, individual insights can help the entire group to really appreciate the Gospel message and Christ himself who speaks to us through the Scriptures.

Through these tools for understanding the Scriptures, may we draw closer to Our Lord Jesus Christ and be drawn to do His will. As we reflect on the Sacred Scriptures and join Our Lord at the breaking of the bread, the Eucharist, may be able to say with the disciples, “Were not our hearts burning within us as [. . .] he opened the Scriptures to us?”

Today, we join the whole church in commemorating the Divine Mercy of Our Father in Heaven. This feast, Divine Mercy Sunday, was established in 2001 by Pope John Paul II so that we might take time after the joyous celebration of Easter to reflect on the mercy that God has shown to us through the death and resurrection of His son. Although the celebration of the Feast of Divine Mercy is relatively new, the roots of this feast reaches throughout the history of Christianity.

In our Gospel today, we see the disciples locked in a house. They’re terrified because they just saw their master, their teacher, brutally tortured and killed by the religious and civil leaders of their land. They’re terrified that these leaders will come after them next, so they go into hiding. They gather in a house and lock the door. They want to hide, they want to get out of sight so that they won’t be next.

All of a sudden, their teacher who they thought was dead and whose body had been stolen appears to them. They’re amazed, they’re frightened, they’re terrified. What does our Lord say? “Peace be to you.” What an amazing thing to say. This simple phrase, “Peace be to you”, really shows the heard of the Christian mystery. It shows why Christ died and rose again: to bring peace to our lives.

Now, this is not saying that we’re going to have an easy life. We know that there are struggles in life. We all have challenges that we have to deal with. In our second reading today, St. Peter says that we may have to suffer through various trials so that our faith may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We will have to struggle, we will have to face the challenges that come to us, but Our Lord promises us peace, he promises us mercy.

This is what this feast is all about. It is all about realizing in joy the mercy that has come to us through the death and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the celebration of the fact that through Christ’s death and resurrection, we have been adopted as God’s children. We no longer are isolated from him in sin. We are now his adopted children, and can now inherit eternal life. This should bring us great joy, and should also bring us great peace.

How should we react to this mercy? Other than the great joy that this brings, how else should we receive God’s mercy, to Our Lord’s call for peace? The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles tells us that the early disciples devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles and the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers. The early Christians reacted to this message of mercy by giving up everything. They were willing to sell everything they had and give it to be distributed to those in need. Most of us who are Christians are not called to sell everything we own and give it to the Church for redistribution, but how many of us would be willing to do that? Fortunately, we have many brothers and sisters who have entered religious orders who are willing to give up everything, and even close themselves off from the world to enter into a spirit of prayer and sacrifice for all our sakes.

Even if we’re not called to give away everything we own, all of are called to serve the poor. The first reading also reminds us that we are also called to gather on a regular basis, weekly at a minimum, for the celebration of the Eucharist within the Mass. Whenever the New Testament uses the phrase, “the breaking of the bread,” it is referring to the Eucharist. Likewise, we are called to be committed to “the prayers.” In the first reading, this would be regular periods of prayer throughout the day. This practice has carried over to our day in the Liturgy of the Hours, a form of prayer which priests, transitional deacons, and those in religious life are committed to praying at regular periods throughout the day. The Liturgy of the Hours is not exclusively for those in religious life, but is open to and encouraged for all members of the Church. Not everyone is able to take the time or has the desire to pray in this manner, but all are called to spend some time throughout the day in prayer. This might be praying a rosary on the commute to or from work, taking short breaks throughout the day to say a Hail Mary or Our Father silently, even just looking for opportunities to say, “Thank you, Lord, for your mercy and love!” It doesn’t even have to be a memorized prayer, just a brief prayer from the heart.

Because of the mercy that God has shown to us, adopting us as sons and daughters through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ, we now have the opportunity to inherit eternal life. This mercy is best expressed in our Lord’s blessing, “Peace be with you.” May we be able to say with the psalmist, “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.”

For 40 days, we fasted, sacrificed, and prayed in preparation for these days. Thursday, we were there when Our Lord gave us the Eucharist at the Last Supper. Friday, we watched as Our Lord was tortured, crucified, and died. Saturday was spent in a watchful anticipation. It was all worth it, because Our Lord has risen from the dead, and we can shout, “Alleluia! Jesus Christ has risen from the dead! Alleluia!”

While we know now that Our Lord had to suffer, die and rise again, we can see in today’s Gospel that the Apostles and disciples didn’t have the clarity of vision that we have with 2,000 years of hindsight. They were still reeling from the fact that their master, whom they had followed for three years, was now dead, killed by the religious leaders and secular authorities. To top it off, now there’s a report that the tomb had been broken into and his body stolen, the ultimate insult to pile on top of injury. Peter and John couldn’t believe it. They had to see for themselves.

Too often, we’re like the Apostles. We have to see it to believe it. If someone tells us in the middle of drought that it’s going to rain tomorrow, we might say something like, “I’ll believe it when it happens.” In some cases, it might even be good to be skeptical, especially when someone is trying to cheat us or lie to us.

There are things, however, that we must accept without any proof. Much of what we profess in the Creed every Sunday cannot be fully demonstrated, and must be believed through an act of faith. This act of faith comes about when we consciously accept a truth that has been revealed by God.

We celebrate one of those revealed truths today. Our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead so that we may also rise with him after our time on Earth has ended. His resurrection and appearance to his Apostles demonstrate to us what will happen for us after our deaths. We must have faith that the resurrection of Our Lord into his glorified body will also happen to us, that our bodies will be glorified as his was. We must also have faith that, as the Apostle Peter said in the first reading, “everyone who believes in him receive forgiveness if sins through his name.”

May we be open to that forgiveness, and pray that those who have died may enter into glory iwth Christ.

Of all the images that have been created that portray the Passion of Our Lord, one of the most moving has to be that of Michelangelo’s “Pieta”, in which we see Mary with her son’s body draped over her lap. She is looking down at the face of Jesus with an expression of sorrow and anguish. We are reminded of this powerful image every time we read the Passion narrative on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, as we did today.

While this moving image is one of sorrow, it should also bring us great joy and hope, as it depicts the greatest moment of salvation history. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, accomplished his mission. He suffered and died for our sins. Through his blood, our sins are washed clean.

Our Lord’s sacrifice on the Cross was prefigured in the covenant that God made with the Israelites. Through the law given to Moses, the Israelites were commanded to offer the sacrifices of goats and bulls so that the transgressions of the Israelite people would be forgiven. These sacrifices were not a one-time-only event, but needed to be repeated year after year.

The mission of Our Lord was to be the perfect sacrifice, the sacrifice that would end all other sacrifices. No longer would animal sacrifices be necessary for forgiveness of sins. Now we unite ourselves with his sacrifice through the waters of baptism which washes away our sins and make us sons and daughters of God. Likewise, through the Eucharist, we participate in the sacrifice of Christ. At every Mass, we are standing at the foot of the Cross with Mary and the beloved disciple. Even through 2,000 years and many thousands of miles separate us, the Sacrifice of the Mass makes this moment present to us wherever and whenever we are.

Today, as we venerate the Cross, may we be able to do so with great joy, but also with the realization that Christ died for our sins.

Today, as we begin this last week of Lent, this Holy Week, we commemorate Jesus’ triumphal entrance into Jerusalem shortly before his Passion and Death. He approaches the city very humbly, riding on a donkey, but the people of Jerusalem line the path before he can enter the city. To use a modern phrase, Jerusalem rolls out the red carpet before him.

Why would the people greet Jesus in such a dramatic manner? If it sounds like they were welcoming him as their king, it’s because they were. This whole event is the public proclamation of Jesus as their messiah. The term messiah is frequently understood in Christian circles as synonymous with savior, but it had a different connotation in Jesus’ time. The Jewish people were under the control of the Romans, and were looking for a great king that had been foretold by the prophets. This king would free the land of Judah from the foreign oppressors, and would set up a great Jewish kingdom.

Jesus was thought to be this great king, and his entry into Jerusalem was seen as the fulfillment of the prophesy of the prophet Zechariah. In this prophesy, written about 500 years before Jesus’ time, Zechariah foretold that the great king would come to Jerusalem “triumphant and victorious [. . .] humble and riding on an ass.” (Zech. 9:9) This king would not only restore the kingdom of Judah, but he would also bring about peace among the nations.

The problem with this view is that it understands the messiah as an earthly king. The people were looking for the establishment of an earthly kingdom, but that wasn’t Jesus’ mission. He came to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven and to establish it here on earth through his Church. Instead of establishing a kingdom solely for the Jews, the Kingdom of Heaven proclaimed by Jesus is open to all humanity, both Jew and Gentile.

Through the waters of baptism, we have entered into this kingdom. At the same time, we pray within the Lord’s Prayer “thy kingdom come”. If God’s kingdom is already here through the establishment of the Church upon earth, why do we pray that it will come? As members of the Kingdom of Heaven, we want to see God’s plan of salvation come to fruition. In essence, by praying “thy kingdom come”, we are looking forward to the return of Our Lord Jesus Christ and our triumphal entrance into Heaven.

This is foreshadowed within the Mass when we sing the “Holy, Holy, Holy” immediately before the Eucharistic Prayer. With the people of Jerusalem, we exclaim, “Hosanna in the highest” and “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Today, as we sing these words, may we enter more fully into the Kingdom of Heaven, and proclaim to the world that Jesus is Lord and Messiah.