Message from Augie

Our shepherd talk focuses so intently on the Good Shepherd that we loose sight of the fact that there’s a flock involved as well.  That’s us, who are called to follow.

Have you ever had this experience.  You are babysitting one or two preschoolers.  They are in the living room playing with their toys.  You are sitting there reading a book.  When you finish, you move into the kitchen to get snack and drinks for the kids.  You look up and there are the kids, playing on the floor in the kitchen right behind you, toys and all.  They’ just quietly picked up the toys and moved along with you!

You might be thinking   “Oh how charming.”   And it is, right up until you’d give a hundred dollars for two minutes to use the bathroom by yourself.  Then sometimes it feels a little more like being stalked by tiny cutie spies.

Gospel reading today has that spy-pursuit vibe.  Jesus and the apostles are trying to slip away briefly, for a little quiet and rest, I might note, but people figure out where they are going, take a different route, and get there first.  So much for having a break.

So I’m always asking myself whether Jesus, in his compassion for these “Sheep without a shepherd,” is sending us the message that we ought never to rest, never to enjoy some quiet, never stop teaching or feeding or making ourselves available.  Does that seem right?  I don’t think I can do that. Actually, I know I can’t.

Fortunately, I don’t have to.  And neither do you.  But we do have to act on the knowledge that the sheep must be gathered and fed, because ultimately, Jesus himself will gather and feed all of us.  Just as the prechoolers moved from one room to another to be near us, our job is to draw near and listen to the Living Lord, and then to follow him.

SO THE QUESTION:     HOW HAS JESUS BEEN TEACHING YOU AND FEEDING YOU?

PRAYER TO ST. JUDE:  St. Jude, apostle of Christ, the church honors and prays to you universally as the patron of hopeless and difficult cases.   Pray for us in our needs.   Make use, we implore you of this powerful privilege given to you to bring visible and speedy help where help is needed.  Pray that we humbly accept the trials and disappointments and mistakes which are a part of our human nature.   Help us to see the reflection of the suffering of Christ in the trials and tribulations of our lives.   Let us see in a spirit of great faith and hop the part we even now share in the joy of Christ’s resurrection and which we long to share fully in heaven.   Intercede that we may again experience this joy in answer to our present needs.   If it is God’s dire for us (here make your request)  we know our prayers will be heard through your intercession.  AMEN