Pain

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/042615.cfm) reminds me that pain is an indicator of real love.

Love is often associated with happiness and sweetness. That’s the media and commercial aspect of love. However, we see today God’s love, real love. With real love comes pain – for real love expects nothing in return.

In the gospel, Jesus says he is the good shepherd who will readily die to protect his sheep. He will endure pain and humiliation just to protect us, just to save us. In the first reading, we see that Jesus experienced pain. He experienced rejection, when he was rejected by the builders – the church leaders at his time. He also experienced death in him protecting us, in him serving God through us.

Real love has great rewards.

Jesus real love for God was expressed greatly through saving us. He died for us. He suffered for us. The reward may not be immediate, but it’s great. His love caused us to be children of God. In the second reading we see that we are all children of God because of God’s love, because of Jesus’ love. Jesus himself was rewarded and exalted by God, as we see in the first reading that there is no other name that can save us.

Real love does not expect anything in return. God loves us even if he knows not all will love him back. Jesus died for us even if people did not listen to him or appreciate him. Love is not an investment. You love because you want to love, because you are full of love, because you have experienced God’s love in your life.

May we learn to love like God does.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for your love. Thank you for reminding me that saving me came at a high cost. Thank you for your willingness to suffer and die for me. thank you for seeing the goodness in me. Lord, I pray that I be able to love the way you do. As you fill me with your love and provisions, help me to spread it to others. May I not see love as an investment – loving only those who love me, loving only those who are very easy to love. Help me love others the way you do. Help me see others the way you do. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

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April 26, 2015

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Lectionary: 50

Reading 1 Acts 4:8-12

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said:

“Leaders of the people and elders:

If we are being examined today

about a good deed done to a cripple,

namely, by what means he was saved,

then all of you and all the people of Israel should know

that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean

whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead;

in his name this man stands before you healed.

He is the stone rejected by you, the builders,

which has become the cornerstone.

There is no salvation through anyone else,

nor is there any other name under heaven

given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29

R. (22) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his mercy endures forever.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD

than to trust in man.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD

than to trust in princes.

R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

or:

R. Alleluia.

I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me

and have been my savior.

The stone which the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

By the LORD has this been done;

it is wonderful in our eyes.

R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;

we bless you from the house of the LORD.

I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me

and have been my savior.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

for his kindness endures forever.

R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 1 Jn 3:1-2

Beloved:

See what love the Father has bestowed on us

that we may be called the children of God.

Yet so we are.

The reason the world does not know us

is that it did not know him.

Beloved, we are God’s children now;

what we shall be has not yet been revealed.

We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,

for we shall see him as he is.

Alleluia Jn 10:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;

I know my sheep, and mine know me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 10:11-18

Jesus said:

“I am the good shepherd.

A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

A hired man, who is not a shepherd

and whose sheep are not his own,

sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,

and the wolf catches and scatters them.

This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd,

and I know mine and mine know me,

just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;

and I will lay down my life for the sheep.

I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.

These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,

and there will be one flock, one shepherd.

This is why the Father loves me,

because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.

I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.

This command I have received from my Father.”