Homily - Fourth Tuesday of Easter (John 10:22-30) “Who Knows My Name?”
Homily - Fourth Tuesday of Easter (John 10:22-30) “Who Knows My Name?”
Yesterday, I visited my aunt who is now 89 years old. She had big news for me when I walked in her house. She and my cousin had just adopted a new kitten. Her sister had found the cat under her porch. I have had a lot of relatives who were farmers through the years. Most of them have gotten pets by happenstance. “City people” have a habit of driving out to the country with unwanted dogs and cats and abandoning the animals in front of some farmer’s house.
Because of this practice, my relatives have had an interesting assortment of pets through the years. They have never had to buy them or go to a shelter to adopt them.
My Aunt and her new kitten had bonded very well in a week. Probably it was because the orphan had needed food and care and my Aunt had provided both. Most animals know who they can depend on for their care.
The big decision my Aunt was making was what to name her yellow feline. She wanted to be able to talk to the kitten and call him when she needed him. Naming a pet seems to make the adoption process official. It is a sign there is no going back.
Jesus talks about knowing his sheep by name. The shepherds of Jesus’ time would treat their sheep almost as if they were pets and they would name them so they could call them out of their pen to go out to graze or they could call them into their corral at night. Usually, they did not have to drag them in, but the lambs would come in voluntarily. There was a familiarity and intimacy between the sheep and shepherd which all led to a deep trust.
Jesus tells us today that the Lord knows each of our names. He knows us intimately. He knows our needs. He knows our faults. Jesus knows our virtues. We cannot hide anything from him, and we can be sure that he will never lose interest in us. He askes only that we never lose interest in him. If we learn to trust Jesus, we will always have a sense of security.
Reflection Questions:
- Have I ever had an animal that depended on me? How did I feel about that?
- Am I comfortable with the fact that Jesus knows all about me? What might I not want him to know?
Dear Parishioners,
We are four weeks into the Easter Season. We always have goals for Lent. Do we have any spiritual goals for Easter? Perhaps this Easter Season is a time to look for new life and signs of hope.
I was out for a walk in the woods yesterday and there were many plants coming back to life. Many of the trees were damaged from the long winter, but even those were sprouting new leaves. You could feel the energy in the air.
There was also a strong south wind which seemed to be trying to wake up the trees. They were creaking and groaning. Could that be a sign of the Holy Spirit?
Perhaps after our long year of COVID-19 difficulties we could all plant some flowers this spring or a tree as a sign of hope. I could think of no better Easter prayer.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints watch over you.
Fr. Mark