Do I Really Know the Shepherd?

Of the many images in John's Gospel, probably one of the most descriptive is that of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. For like a shepherd, Jesus is concerned with the welfare and care of his sheep.

Jesus tells us that sheep follow the shepherd because "they recognize his voice." In other words, sheep become used to a particular shepherd and the sound of his voice, and so come to trust him - and that gives them a sense of security.

Of all the voices in our lives, the one that should be the most familiar to us is the voice of the Good Shepherd. Unfortunately, we face so many obstacles in our everyday lives that prevent us from clearly hearing this voice.

Our lives are filled with a tremendous amount of noise - or busy activity that leaves us no room for restful silence and meditation. It is difficult to perceive the voice of the Good Shepherd in the midst of all of this noise. We need to learn how to turn off the things that consume us (television, radio, Internet surfing, video games, etc.) and create pockets of time each day to simply be quiet and listen. This time is essential to hearing the voice that is speaking to us in the depths of our hearts. And this needs to happen in prayer!

There are other voices in our lives that are competing with the voice of the Good Shepherd. One is the voice of self. This is the voice that says, "I know what is best for me, so I'm going to do what I want." This voice, even though it seems to be most familiar and trustworthy, is really the voice of a thief who wishes to steal away from us the peace that comes from abandoning ourselves to the guidance of the Good Shepherd, who alone has our best interests in mind.

Another voice is the voice of popular opinion. This is the voice that says, "everyone else is doing it, so it must be okay." We are grasping for things that are only for the sake of approval, or to fit in. The end result is always the same: anxiety and the loss of true self-identity. Only the voice of the Good Shepherd reveals to us our true selves.

Finally, there is the voice of the evil one. This is the one we must avoid at all costs. Satan tries to tell us that we things will be fine if we follow his voice, but then he turns on us and blames us for doing something that we shouldn't have done. And it is in this way that Satan tries to drive us further away from the saving embrace of the Good Shepherd.

So how do we prevent these voices from taking control of us? We need to re-familiarize ourselves with the clear, gentle and assuring voice of the Good Shepherd. And that is going to happen when we take the time to pray every single day. We need to make the time during the day to simply be quiet and listen for his voice. For the voice of the Good Shepherd, and his alone, will guide us to the life of happiness that we so desire.

Venerable Fulton Sheen?

When I was ordained a deacon, a friend of mine gave me a book written by Fulton Sheen. It was a very good read, and I now have a special fondness for this amazing man. Check out this story on this incredible preacher:

Venerable Fulton Sheen?

The Hunger Games

Last evening, my wife asked me to take her to see the movie The Hunger Games.  She had already read the books, and wanted to see the movie. I had not read the books, but I agreed to take her to see the movie. Plus, it was a great opportunity to have "date night" with my wife - something that doesn't happen all that often.

I went with an open mind, not knowing anything about the movie at all. In fact, I had never even seen a preview or read a review. I was going in as a completely uniformed viewer. And that's not always a bad place to be.

In a relatively short time, the overall theme came bursting through the screen. Now, if you are unfamiliar with the books or the movie, The Hunger Games is a young adult novel written by American television writer and novelist Suzanne Collins. It is written in the voice of sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a post-apocalyptic worked in the country of Panem where the countries of North America once existed. The Capitol, a highly advanced metropolis, holds hegemony over the rest of the nation. The Hunger Games are an annual event in which one boy and one girl aged 12 to 18 from each of the 12 districts surrounding the Capitol are selected by lottery to compete in a televised battle in which only one person can survive.

Throughout the movie, these children and teens are battling it out in order to be that last surviving victor. In other words, they will do whatever it takes to win - including killing the other children and teens. I couldn't help but to be slightly nauseated at the overall concept of kids killing kids. In fact, I was having nasty dreams of this throughout the night. The thought of children killing children is just wrong. And maybe that's the point that this book and movie is trying to make.

During the past couple of months, the news has been filled with children being killed by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Our inner cities have been inundated with senseless violence. Children have been caught in the crossfire while simply playing in their yards. When will it stop?

Toward the end of the movie, the two teens that are still alive were faced with the decision on who was going to survive to win the game. Ultimately, they chose not to take the life of one, but to end both lives at the same time. But the game was called off before they took this action. Someone had the guts to step in and stop the insanity.

In our society, we need to be that person who will step in and stop the insanity. God does not want us to kill others, physically, spiritually, or emotionally. We need to become the hands and feet of God and to go out and make a difference in the world. We need to love others. We need to help others. We need to tell the world that life is a gift, and we are not to take that away from anyone.

Let's stop the violence. Let's stop the killing. Let's stop the pain. Let's stop the insanity.
And let us live the Gospel. For it is then when we hunger no more.

The Easter Triduum

The Easter Triduum, the “Three Days”, is the celebration of the Christian Passover. Just as our Jewish ancestors gathered annually to remember the events of their release from slavery in Egypt, so too, we gather to celebrate our Passover from death to life in Christ. The Triduum is at the heart and soul of our Christian faith, commemorating the triumph of God's love over darkness and death. It’s the fullest ritual expression of
what it means to be a Christian. In our reliving and remembering, we’re renewed and reborn along with the newly initiated members of our community.

In essence, the Triduum is one great festival that lasts for three days: Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. As with all the great feasts of the Church, the celebration begins at dusk on Holy Thursday with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. On Good Friday, the first full day of the Triduum, we gather to remember the Lord’s Passion and Death. Saturday is a day of quiet reflection on the Entombment of Christ as we wait, like the disciples, for news of the resurrection. And finally, on Saturday night we gather in vigil and hear the amazing news that Jesus Christ, our companion and brother, is not dead, but is risen from the grave. The Triduum liturgy ends with Evening Prayer on Easter day.

Another way of supporting the unity of this three-day festival is by observing the ancient practice of the Paschal fast. This fast traditionally lasted from the beginning of the Triduum until the communion rite on Easter. By means of this sacred fast, we’re mindful of our prayers as we depart for our homes until we gather again the next day.

I strongly encourage you to attend one or more of these beautiful and spiritually moving liturgies. The great three days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter invite us into heart of the mystery of faith. Let it begin!!!