4th Sunday of Easter / 2021 April 25
Title: Good Shepherd Sunday
[__01__] 12 Years A Slave. Anybody remember the Hollywood movie which was also a true life-story and book/autobiography called “12 Years A Slave.”
The
central figure and the one who tells us of the “12 Years” is a black man
captured and taken into slavery before the U.S. Civil War and taken into
slavery in Louisiana.
The reason
that there is such a time limit in the title – “12 Years as a slave” – is that
Solomon – the name of this slave was not a slave before he was captured and he
became free – liberated -- after he found a way out thanks to a heroic rescue
and some helpers.
Solomon
was originally a regular working man in the 1800’s living near Albany and Saratoga
(New York) about 3 hours north of here and residing and existing outside of the
official “slave” states of the time.
Solomon
was a worker, a skilled carpenter and a professional musician and violinist,
married with children.
One day,
Solomon met with 2 men who seemed to be his friends, but they were really just
wanted to lure him with an attractive offer and capture him.
Solomon
was offered a lucrative job opportunity and he went with them willingly to
“south” to Washington D.C.
One
morning, he woke up in chains, shackled and is sold into slavery. He has no way
to contact his wife and family, no way to authenticate his identity.
He is now
a slave.
But, as a person, is that all he is ?
[__02__] In our Catholic faith in God as Father, Son
and Holy Spirit, we begin every Mass many of our prayers with the sign of the
Trinity – “in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit…”
And, we
are identifying God as being 3 persons with one divine nature.
One
theologian makes the distinction that our NATURE tells us what we are but our
PERSON/PERSONALITY tell us who we are. (source: Frank Sheed, Theology and Sanity, Ch. 6 “3 Persons in 1 Nature”, p. 67-68)
Because I
have a “NATURE”, I can do certain things, I can walk, talk, think, I can do
actions out of kindness, actions out of unkindness. All of this in my NATURE.
But, I
personally do them. I am the person who does them. Other people also have the ability to walk,
talk, think, act kindly or unkindly --
and in this way – we have a similar nature.
I cannot,
however, take responsibility for what other people do, nor can other people
take responsibility for what I do.
We each
are different persons.
[__03__] We
recall today, that Jesus – the Son of God – the second person of the Trinity –
became our Good Shepherd, became our Savior.
We believe
that the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit share the same nature. They
are 3 persons – each distinct but with 1 nature – and that this nature tells us
what they are are.
It tells
us that all 3 persons are capable knowing, loving, creating.
It is also
in their nature to be connected and united to each other. The trinity is a
model for us of communion of love with God and with each other.
That tells
us what God is and what are called to. That is the “what” ..that’s the nature.
But, what
about the “person”, the “who”
[__04__] It is
only by the Incarnation the birth of Jesus Christ as the son of Mary and son of
God that we also see who God is, that God is now really shares our human
nature.
As St.
Paul writes that “[Jesus] though he was in the form
of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he
emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness, and
found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even
death on a cross.”
(Philippians
2:6-7)
Jesus took
on our human nature.
As an analogy, here is just one example.
Many years ago, a friend came to stay with my parents, my
brothers and sister and me for one week. I feared that this might be a very difficult
week because his first language and really his only language was Japanese. And,
while I – at the time after a few years of study – could speak some Japanese
with some proficiency, no one else in the house did.
Anyway, my
friend arrived.
And, he
totally integrated and immersed himself in our life. The very first night, we
had dinner as a family and he knew that were praying and he did the most
beautiful and profound bow of his head while we said grace before meals.
In some
way, he took on our nature for the week. He did what we did. Yet, he remained a
distinct person.
My mother
cried when he left.
His
departure was more of an adjustment than his arrival.
[__05__] The
Good Shepherd – Jesus - arrives in our lives as a person.
We are
called to have a personal relationship with him.
While the
Good Shepherd is “supreme” in his mercy and justice over us, Jesus lays down his life for his sheep, not
by an act of superiority or but of service.
It is in Jesus’ nature to become like us in all things but sin, even for
a while to become a slave on earth, a slave who can also be captured, arrested,
put to death.
(???He empties himself and takes the
form of a slave. ???)
[__06__] It is
possible – but sometimes it seems only remotely possible – to love others in a
similar way… i.e., to take on the nature of Jesus.
But it is
possible also because we share a bond – a connection – in being created as
daughters and sons of Almighty God – Father / Son / Holy Spirit – that we share one nature in
Christ, though as different persons.
St. Paul
says:
“There
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slaves no free, there is not male
and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ,
then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.”
(Galatins 3:28-29)
[__07__] Who is
Jesus?
Who is the
Lord?
Who is the
Lord?
The Lord
is my shepherd, I shall not want. In verdant pastures, he give me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul.
He guides
me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Even
though I walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil; for you at my side with your
rod and your staff that give me courage.
You spread
the table before me in the sight of my foes;
You anoint
my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Only
goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life.
And, I
shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come.
[__08__]
[__09__]
[__10__]
[_fin_]
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