Friar’s Corner: The Lord is my shepherd

Jeremiah 23:1-6; Ps 23:1-6; Ephesians 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34

I want to ask the Holy Spirit to increase our gifts of wisdom and understanding. "Come, Holy Spirit come! And from your clear celestial home, shed a ray of Light Divine!"

Here is a little story about the Good Shepherd. A great Protestant preacher was delivering a lecture about Psalm 23 in a very large auditorium. Toward the end an old man near the front of the crowd kept waving his hand, which disturbed the presentation. Finally the preacher stopped and asked the man what he wanted. The old man stood up and asked if he could read that psalm. He came up and slowly read Psalm 23. Many started to weep openly. The preacher was shocked. As the old man finished, the preacher asked why his presentation was not enough. The old man simply said: "You know the psalm; I know the Shepherd."

Do we know the shepherd? Throughout the Old Testament God our Father was basically guiding events. Because of the continued disobedience of the Jewish people, the Father send his Son into the world to show us how much God loves all of his children. Jesus came to love us, teach us, heal us and die on the cross to take away the punishment for our sins and bring us back into good graces in God’s family, into the kingdom of God as opposed to the kingdom of satan. Jesus was only here for thirty-three years and went back to heaven. The Father and the Son then sent their Holy Spirit to guide us to Jesus who leads us to the fullness of the Trinity in heaven. Our response is to be obedient to God’s plan and follow it in our daily life.

We learn how to follow by reading our Scriptures daily especially at daily Mass and the Prayer of Christians. Especially we see who Jesus is, how he healed thousands, went to find the lost sheep and taught us how to live. As we follow Jesus guided by his Holy Spirit daily we get filled with some degree of God’s joy amidst the evil of the world evil each day.

Psalm 23

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives 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 are 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."

We see in Mark’s gospel passage today the apostles reporting back to Jesus all that they had done on mission. Jesus took them across the lake to rest alone. Some people noticed what direction the boat was headed and they went around the lake to get there before the apostles got off the boat. There was "a vast crowd." Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for "they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things." I invite you to come to Jesus often and allow him to heal, teach and fill you with comfort and joy.

Have a blessed week,
+ Fr. Bob Hilz
(© 2015 Fr. Bob Hilz,TOR)

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Nancy Ward

Nancy Ward writes about conversion, Christian community, and Catholicism. After earning a journalism degree, she worked for the Diocese of Dallas newspaper and the Archbishop Sheen Center for Evangelization, then began her own editing service. She’s a regular contributor to CatholicMom.com, SpiritualDirection.com, CatholicWritersGuild.com, NewEvangelizers.com and a contributing author to The Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion. Now, through her Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story: Tools, Tips, and Testimonies workshops, retreats, book, and DVD, she shares her conversion story at Catholic parishes and conferences, equipping others to share their own stories.

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