One of the main purposes of the Acts of the Apostles was to spell out and clarify how the earlier believers lived as well as how we are to live and carry on our lives as believers in the Gospel. This passage reveals an attitude toward those who have done wrong and had betrayed their friends but most of all had been responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus. Rather than retaliation and vindictive recrimination Peter offers them another opportunity to find forgiveness. The community continues that message of God’s mercy and forgiveness that Jesus revealed through His death and resurrection.
We continue to hear this early instruction to those who have been baptized from the letter of Peter. The recent converts indeed all of us who walk in the footsteps of faith are reminded that like Jesus we also will experience difficulties and face struggles. The story of Jesus is not one free of suffering and cost. So with those who continue that journey today we are ever reminded that He took our sins with Him on the cross. It has been through His wounds that you and I have been healed, have been forgiven.
The image that was one of the primary images that Jesus used as well as being an image to help the early believers to grasp the relationship between Jesus and us is that of a shepherd. This image comes out of another culture and another time. We need to look at the makeup of the relationship. The shepherd cares and is responsible for those in his care. The flock is to trust and follow the voice and the direction of the shepherd. We walk the journey of life guided and protected by the shepherd whose life was lived and whose death was offered that we might live in light of victory over the powers of deceit and darkness. We are to listen to His voice. His words come to us in many ways and through the words of many experiences.
Have you ever noticed that in some newscasts on television or some commentators in the newspaper or in a magazine offer a parenthesis that begins by saying full disclosure? For example when there is a news story on ABC about the Disney Company the anchor will always inform us that the Disney Corporation owns this network or this television station. A reporter will include a full disclosure if they are writing about a certain person that at one time they were part of his staff. There is this need for quality control that these revelations are made.
Every year during this time of Easter there is a Sunday that has as a shepherd theme. The gospel may be about Jesus identifying himself as the Good Shepherd the shepherd who goes out seeking the sheep that has been lost. Once every three years there is this gospel with Jesus identifying Himself as the “sheep gate”. Whenever this gospel occurs I have been tempted to just stop and say full disclosure I have no idea what a sheep gate is. Earlier this week when I realized that this was the year we had the sheep gate gospel I thought I really do not like this gospel or this image. Then as it would happen I came across some information that a sheep gate was the entrance way that the flock of sheep would go into for safety throughout the night. The shepherd would watch to see that all the sheep were accounted for and he would sleep outside the gate caring and being watchful that the flock would not be at risk from animal predators or from some one who might come to steal the sheep from the flock.
The idea that the flock was being cared for even when they were at their most vulnerable as well as when they were unaware is meant to communicate to us that God is always taking care and watching over us. We can often let that awareness slip by. We can forget the debt of gratitude we always have to God for what He is always doing for us. Yet if we are in touch with God's care and watchfulness we can be alert to His voice that is continually beckoning us. As His flock we are guided by his voice. Yet we sometimes are unaware of the different voices of God that come into our lives.
God’s voice speaks to us in the words of admiration we hear from friends. His voice also is present when we hear words of caution or challenge that we would prefer to ignore but words we need to hear.. Perhaps with regard to our addictions to alcohol, or gambling or the internet. We may not want to hear those words but we need the guidance of such words of concern.
There can also be the words and voice of encouragement when we would prefer to give up and not be bother with facing the challenge of learning a new skill or admitting that we had made mistake and we need to admit it and apologize for what we did to someone usually one whom we love. The voice of God may be telling us that the time has come for us to let go be it the control we have over children who are growing up or when adult children are pleading with us to give up driving or think about moving in with one of them. There are many times we do not want to hear what we need to hear. There are many of us who do not know what to do or are unable to accept words of praise that come our way. We often dismiss it by saying “Oh it was nothing”. Yet others see it more than nothing and in what we have done they have been touched by how God has worked through us to touch them. When God works through us in the life of another that is more than nothing. That is the wonder of God. In so many different ways God has used us as His instruments to bring His presence into the lives of those who often live thinking their lives do not matter . We are the messengers who can help them discover that all of our lives matter in the heart of the One who is shepherd to all of us.
Homily preached at the 8:00 liturgy
Sunday,April 13, 2008
Reverend William D. Mannion