Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
About a year and a half ago I wrote about our new puppy; well, as one would imagine, that puppy is now almost two years old. His name is Bear and he is a “rescue” dog of mixed breed that has a lot of traits of a Border Collie, including high intelligence and lots of energy. We have an enclosed back yard where he loves to chase the squirrels, chipmunks, birds, and an occasional rabbit or groundhog. Given that the wooden fence is aging, he has on a couple of occasions found a loose slat and chased his prey right through the fence and out of our sight. He’s fast and focused when he’s chasing something. And that has resulted in “losing” him for a short period of time, inducing panic in me while I frantically search and call for him with his favorite treats in hand.
Thankfully we’ve found him each time and have since repaired the loose fence slats, but each time it’s happened I have feared the worst. It’s hard to believe how much I love this dog who has bonded with us and depends on us and also has a mind (or strong instincts!) of his own. And this has helped me reflect on how much God loves us and desires for us to remain close and connected to God. How in today’s gospel reading (Luke 15:3-7) we hear Jesus’ parable of the lost sheep and the rejoicing that happens when that lost sheep is found.
And how today’s responsorial psalm from Psalm 23 reminds us that the Lord is our shepherd; therefore, “there is nothing I shall want…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.”
And how today’s gospel acclamation from John (10:14) reiterates, “I am the good shepherd, says the Lord, I know my sheep, and mine know me.”
And, finally, how today’s first reading (Ezekiel 34:11-16) beautifully declares, “I myself will pasture my sheep…the lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal….”
This is the loving shepherd our God is and has demonstrated how great that love is as Paul’s letter to the Romans tells us in today’s second reading (5:5b-11), “...in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” There is no greater love than this. Let us stay close to the Shepherd who holds us in His heart, listen for His voice, and trust that in doing this, we shall want for nothing.
~Eileen Miller