4th Sun Easter-B’18
“Its Personal”
April 22, 2018
When it comes to faith, it’s personal (not private, but personal). Today’s scripture had me thinking back to the beginning of this whole priesthood adventure… It actually started with my High School Senior retreat… [Tell story of being “hugged” by God; confirmed with Grandpa’s prayer.]
It was personal, even though I didn’t yet understand it.
I remember then “hearing” my calling from God… [Tell UK story].
Hearing my calling from God was exciting, scary, full of potential, and intimate all at the same time. It was personal.
You may remember my “butterfly” story where at a pivotal juncture in my discernment to become a priest God spoke to me through butterflies… now let me tell you about my diaconal retreat I took a few years later [Tell story of looking for another sign (and a deer) but not finding one. I then realize that Jesus will get to me through my ministry to the Church. And then as I was driving away from Mt. St. Francis a whole herd of deer ran past!] It was personal.
Now, after all these years of serving the Church as a priest, (especially given the administrative red tape, complaint letters, and the like) I can forget that it has all grown out of a personal relationship with Jesus. Yet, our scripture is clear, if we are going to be an intentional disciple then we must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Peter and John (the two who first went into the empty tomb that Easter morning) both testify in their respective writings that in Jesus Christ we are God’s children now, and there is no salvation in anyone else. Salvation is personal because it is linked to knowing Jesus, and as our Gospel teaches, its personal for Jesus too, for he knows each of us.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd that knows his sheep; lays down his life for his sheep. His is an unconditional love, a healthy love that never gives up on the other. A love that calls the other to become the best they can become. And because we are children of God within whom the Light of Christ shines, we too can love like Jesus.
Some moments of imitating Jesus’ love are clearer than others. Such as when a couple in love say, “I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.” Through the Sacrament of Marriage we can love like Jesus. Or when men becoming deacons for a life of service to the Church take hold of the Gospel Book and promise to, “Believe what I read; Teach what I believe; and Practice what I teach.” Through the Sacrament of Ordination we can love like Jesus.
We are capable by God’s design of loving Jesus deeply and loving others through this love. Yet, as in any real relationship, it can be too easy to come up short. We can twist our relationship with Jesus into something unhealthy. For instance, I can turn Jesus into a possession, jealously demanding that he leave all others behind and love only me… just “me and Jesus” and nobody else. Or I can take my personal relationship with Jesus for granted, ignoring Jesus only to relegate him to a “later” time when I am less busy with other things. Or I can also make my relationship with Jesus all about me with a one-sided, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately, attitude. In these ways and more I can twist up my relationship Jesus into something less than healthy.
We are capable of great love, but we need help. Here’s the good news, Jesus will not twist it up. From his side he will keep it healthy. He remains the Good Shepherd who through the Church calls each of us to become the best version of ourself. This is why we are here after all, so we can tune ourselves to the beautiful rhythm which is Jesus’ love; so we can learn to recognize the Shepherd’s voice and draw close. Make it personal, ask Jesus what is his will for you, and then be prepared… it’s personal to him too!
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