Gospel Reflections for May 3 2020
Why do you follow these Covid-19 orders?
There is growing debate now about when the Stay at Home orders will be lifted and when we can once again come together as a community to worship together, return to work, eat in restaurants, go to school, and just enjoy each other’s company. I hope it is soon!
I know there are those who do not like being told what to do and those who like to follow orders. I hear a lot from both sides. What should you do?
Today’s Gospel is the perfect lesson for how to understand all these things. It presents two images, a Shepherd and a flock of sheep, and invites you to place yourself with one or the other. Are you a sheep or a shepherd?
Everyone at the time of Jesus knew that sheep were the most timid of animals. They were frightened of everything and always stayed close to safety. If a leaf fell from a tree they would run to the shepherd!
They knew their shepherd was amazingly brave and willing to risk his life to face even threatening lions and wolves. Quite a contrast with timid sheep!
Jesus presents Himself in this Gospel as the Good Shepherd willing to lay down His life for His sheep. You just saw that affirmed in the events of Holy Week last month in His passion, death, and resurrection, all done for your lasting happiness.
Jesus is calling you right now and in this important time to be a shepherd and not a sheep …and to boldly do the right thing to protect the most vulnerable near you, as the Good Shepherd bravely does in this Gospel.
In this Covid-19 season, the most vulnerable near you are the elderly, healthcare and other frontline workers, and anyone with a pre-existing condition that leaves them defenseless.
I can tell you quite sincerely that I am not afraid of getting sick at all, but I am afraid of giving this disease, that I might not even know I have, to a vulnerable parishioner.
I will sacrifice what I love most, leading the wonderful parishioners of St. Bruno, and wait until the Stay at Home orders are lifted. That is precisely my role as a parish shepherd.
I hope you will take on this Gospel role of a bold, brave, and protective shepherd where you live as well.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Fr. Dave,
Thank you for another wonderful and rational Reflection, and I find you among the finest Shepards truly a Godsend; but, at what point do we find the Church amongst the “most vulnerable” as well as our most treasured constitutional rights of Freedom of Religion and Assembly? At what point do we do as Jesus did and turnover the money changer tables in the synagogue in outrage, or in our case blow open the ”church doors” so we can worship and receive our Lord,
I’m in no way minimizing the seriousness of Covid-19, but the scientific facts are revealing that it’s a lot less deadlier than earlier pontificated by so called experts, which many lack biblical wisdom and practical common sense. God Bless & Keep You!
Deus Lu Vult
Yes, I am sure there will be a lot careful review of the policies once the Stay at Home orders are relaxed.
Thank you
You are very welcome!
Love your beautiful Homily Father Dave and you are a precious Shepherd living Jesus’ love!!! Soooooooooooooooooooooo happy you are a beautiful part of our lives!!! and the lives of all the people you have shephered so beautifully!!There is a beautiful time for everything and right now we must be vigilant not to let one person we come in contact with die from this terrible virus!!! We will find a vaccine with our world turning in love to our precious God and praying!! Our precious God, our loving Jesus, our beautiful Blessed mother will shower us with blessings for they love us and we so love them and they will lead the Doctors to discover a vaccine if we pray and help others and share our love!!! The beauty of love that has emerged from this devastating time is that people are sharing love, in songs, in acts of kindness, in forgiveness of others,of appreciating their precious faith, their priests, their families, their friends, their lives!! and appreciating all the Doctors, nurses, healthcare workers and everyone who are risking their lives for others!!! Love and Goodness will win out and this virus will be defeated!!! You are in our loving prayers and everyoneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee for we love this gift of life and we want to live our Jesus’ LOVE!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, ! Franca and Dick
Thank you!
Perfectly said! Absolutely! The Good Shepherd leads his flock in the most sensible and courageous manner: protecting the most vulnerable (not always limited to the elderly) and honoring the selfless healthcare providers….and the scientists who are searching for an antidote to this dreadful global disease.
Thank you…as always,
Bob and Rose Mary Swanstrom
Perfectly said! Absolutely! The Good Shepherd leads his flock in the most sensible and courageous manner: protecting the most vulnerable (not always limited to the elderly) and honoring the selfless healthcare providers….and the scientists who are searching for an antidote to this dreadful global disease.
Thank you…as always,
Bob and Rose Mary Swanstrom
You are very welcome
You are very welcome!
I have to admit and confess that I have been updet and even angry at my christian friends incuding Catholic Christianswho haven’t agreed with this. I`ll be the first to admit that I believe we have a bad governor, however, this virus hasn’t spread as far for a good reason. We are at home.
I saw people picketing and at the beach with no masks on with children with them. A lot are the millinium generation which came after the Dr. SPOCK THEORY. Because of that there seems to be a lack of discipline.
Ok I feel better. Now, thanks for listening and I dodo choose to forgive.
This is a time to learn to listen to Gods voice. In our busy times when we are always on the go, we can forget what is most important.
I like adoration cause it is a time not to say anythin but to listen…
Well said! Adoration is time to listen. No problem about venting on the responses of others to the Stay at Home orders. IT is a frustrating time for people on both sides of the issue.