Up for daily mass this morning - a powerful reminder by Fr of how we need our shepherd when we face our day to day troubles and challanges. He shared about his study of the black plague while in seminary... How there were so many deaths that there was no one to bury the dead - "entire convents and monasteries wiped out. Then the unatteded herds of livestock would die as there was no one to care for them." Such a dark time that was with "death in the air." Yet, he pointed out that in this culure of death that surrounds us - there continues to be the "smell of death" in the air around us and how much we need the shepherd to feed, water and care for us... protecting us from the prowling hungry wolf! From the Gospel today in Matt 9..."Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved by pity for they were troubled and abandoned, like a sheep without a shepherd." How much we need you and cling to YOU our Lord, Jesus Christ!
Lord Jesus, we feel your loving merciful gaze upon us as we struggle to carry our loads. You long for us to give them over to you and allow you to care for us... for you to be the one in control of all that swirls around us. There are many heavy things that draw us to our knees in your presence... we lay all our burdons at your feet. We are then able to rise up and go forth to love and to serve all those in our domestic Church/family. We are especially aware of the need for constant prayer to be surrounding our dear Joseph in Alghanistan. Surround him and all the men over there with your spiritual armor. Jesus, we thank you for being there always to love and forgive and care for us... Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Halleluia
Bless-bless, Barb
"It is probably in the most terrifying and lost moments of the journey, when we are bleeding and running away and rolling in the brambles, that the shepherd raises us up and carries us on his shoulders. We may bleat and thrash and struggle becuase he locks our legs together in his strong hands. It is good that he is so strong. We must never lose our trust in God. WE must hold on to him, in the midst of the fury, with our understanding that his promise is true. For we know that his mercy is at the end of all things."
John Janaro
No comments:
Post a Comment