My Homily "The Good Shepherd "16th Sunday Ordinary Time

The Good Shepherd 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time "B" Deacon Kevin Reid Church of the Immaculate Conception July 22, 2012 In today's readings there is a common theme that the Lord in all of his wisdom and mercy is trying to communicate to us here today. The promise that he is OUR GOOD SHEPHERD,and today he is really making sure that we get it because he is telling us in three different ways, at three different times. Talk about having to repeat yourself to your CHILDREN, we parents all know what that's like don't we? Sometimes miraculously our children they hear us every now and then on the first time, but I'm afraid to say most times its not even till after the third time. So just as we have to repeat ourselves to our Kids, God sometimes has to do the same thing to us. And so it is with us Brothers and Sisters; sometimes we need to hear things over and over before we finally "get it". Perhaps its because we have conditioned ourselves to only hear what we want to HEAR, we can selectively listen for and tone out the other stuff. Jesus like a good parent, loves us unconditionally in spite of our short comings, in spite of our "Selective Hearing" he is the epitome of what we all wish to be in our Hope to be good parents. As a good shepherd he KNOWS his sheep, and he calls each of us by name. He leads us with his word, and with his Spirit to a place of rest. To a place to RETREAT from the Hustle and the Bustle of our Daily Routines. The Shepherd had the task of finding a "Safe" place for the Sheep to rest on their journey. Certainly that's what he was trying to do for the Apostles in today's Gospel from Mark. They had been sent forth as you might remember two by two last week, and they were reporting back to the "Boss" just how well it went. It was his idea to lead them away to a QUIET place to rest, I dare say perhaps he led them away to show them just how great was the need for them to continue the good work that he had begun in them last Sunday. In other words their work had just begun and he was teaching THEM as well as the Crowds. He never fails to use a teaching moment when it's there, next week he will show the Apostles how to feed the multitude with a few fish and a hand full of loaves. These 3 weeks we are in the middle of have a common theme: being with Jesus,doing works that reflect his goodness and power, proclaiming his Word. He is the TEACHER in each of these three weeks who is teaching them and us what we can do for others and for ourselves. This Good Shepherd sees things in the Apostles and in also in us that we don't always see in each other or possibly even in our selves. I guess with all of this talk about Shepherds, the hardest part for us to understand is just what a Shepherd did, ???? or even in some remote parts of the world still DOES. He guides his flock he leads them in the direction of cool refreshing water, he keeps the predators at bay. His staff and rod is always at the ready to bring his sheep back in or to knock the wolf away if he needs it. Most importantly, perhaps is that he puts Himself between us (the sheep) because like sheep we can also stray, and we too can get lost easily. My Brothers and Sisters, when we do get lost or lose our WAY, we might very quickly find ourselves in trouble. The wolf as we know from the story of little Red Riding Hood is a cunning creature who comes for us in many disguises. He comes between us and our Good Shepherd with his lies and with his ability to 'SNIFF OUT OUR FEAR' he is always there ready to pounce. He prefers to come for us when we are afraid, when we think and convince our selves that we are all alone, when we have separated ourselves from God and the rest of of our Community the 'Flock' by sin. And it is precisely at those times when we are like those LOST sheep, that the Good Shepherd, comes searching looking for his lost sheep. He comes to us in those times when we are feeling the most vulnerable, when perhaps that the storms of life have left us feeling empty or even adrift. Like the Father in the Story of the Prodigal Son that goes running out to meet his long lost given up for DEAD son, his joy in finding us is complete. He lifts up and restores our weary bodies that are burdened from the challenges of life. He gives us the promise of the gift of eternal life. Not unlike the people who Jesus saw and taught from the boat in today's Gospel, he looks to us in our suffering and he seeks to make it better. He does not ever promise us that there will be a bed of Roses, rather he tells us that he walks with us in the very "Valley of Death" and that he will not leave us alone, that he will be there to SHEPHERD us in those dark moments. I can share a story with you that I know many of you will find some thing in common with. When our first Son was born, to my wife Lisa and I, our OB a man who had been taught by the Jesuits in Jamaica, that had been fortunate to attend Medical School at Johns Hopkins and work there for over forty years helping women deliver babies. This man named Eli shepherded us through the entire birth process. Well giving credit where it is due, Lisa did all the physical work of pushing and struggling just like we all do in life. But Eli he was there, right along side of us Shepherding us keeping things under control, making us feel safe. I think it was that day that I finally figured out just exactly what a modern day Shepherd did, certainly during the birthing process. Folks on your first time being present as a Mother or as a Father it is easy for the fear and the pain to get the upper hand on you to make you feel alone. That is where our Shepherd Eli stepped in. He knew just what to do, he had been there before, and he knew just what to do when that time came. He guided us in such a way and we never felt that he wasn't 100% in control. We were never left to feel alone. Jesus knows first hand what it feels like to be alone, remember he didn't have to become one of us to be like one of us. He became one of us so that we could become like him. And he never wants to be away from us when we need him. It says in today's Gospel that he stayed there with them because he had compassion for them and that he taught them many things. He is always willing to teach us to guide us and Shepherd us through both the good and bad times. He teaches them and us that his WAY is "THE WAY" to eternal life. He leads us to greener pastures and sets a wedding banquet table for us to join him at. From the Words of today's Psalm which probably next to the Our Father, is the second most popular prayer in all of Christianity. Nothing shall I want. He leads me. He goes before me with rod and staff. He feeds me. He anoints my head. Friends what more could we ask of our Shepherd, let us pray that today after we come to the Altar to receive the life giving body and blood of the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for us, that we WILL from this day forward listen for his shepherds voice in his call to each of us. His call for us to hear his voice in the cries of his people who are hungry for us to share with them the Good News of his life giving Gospel.