Jesus the Good and Merciful Shepherd – Jun 18 – Homily – Fr John Lawrence

 

Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Jun 18, 2023, on how Jesus is the good shepherd who leads his flock away from sin with mercy.

Jesus' boundless compassion and mercy, exhibited through His love for the crowd seen as lost sheep without a shepherd [Matthew 9:36 - Jesus was moved with compassion for them - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/9?36]. His mercy is also shown in the parables of the forgiving master and the prodigal son's father. Jesus, akin to the Good Samaritan, offers help and mercy without limit.

The people's leaders, the scribes, weren't fulfilling their role effectively. To counteract this, Jesus sends the apostles as shepherds, the forefathers of today's bishops, to guide His flock and continue His mission [Matthew 10:1 - Jesus summoned his disciples and gave them authority - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/10?1]. They proclaim the kingdom of heaven, cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and drive out demons, reflecting the responsibilities of today's Church leaders.

The church's pastors protect their flock by guiding and warning them, exorcising demons, and encouraging the rejection of sin. These leaders have the unique power to resurrect spiritually dead sinners through absolution after confession.

The homily points to the role of sacraments in creating a 'kingdom of priests' and 'holy nation', a role for all baptized, who are called to offer their lives as living sacrifices in unison with Christ's [1 Peter 2:9 - You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1peter/2?9]. It also highlights the mission of apostles, sent to heal not just bodies, but souls, a mission borne out of Jesus' compassion.

The homily closes by discussing redemption by Christ [Romans 5:8 - God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/5?8], our response to His love, and the honoring of this love through devotion to the Sacred Heart.

00:00 - Introduction
00:14 - The Gospel's Depiction of Divine Mercy
00:56 - The Mercy of God's Heart
01:27 - Jesus' Compassion and The Role of the Apostles
02:37 - Apostles' Mission and The Power of Sacraments
03:49 - Universal Call to Holiness and Redemption
05:42 - Devotion to the Sacred Heart and Response with Love

Ave Maria!

Mass: 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Sunday
Readings:  - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/061823.cfm
1st: exo 19:2-6
Resp: psa 100:1-3, 5
2nd: rom 5:6-11
Gsp: mat 9:36-10:8

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=771

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