Fifth Saturday of Easter

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. Alleluia. Know that the LORD is God; he made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends.

We are God’s flock. He watches over us like a Good Shepherd, protecting us from harm. He guides us to green pastures and feeds us with the Bread of Life and the Wine of Salvation. He guards us from all our foes and does everything He can to raise and nurture us. He wants us all to be holy and healthy. He calls us back to Him when we go astray and carries us on His shoulders when we are weak. We would do well to follow his example and imitate him in all these things as we tend to the needs of our brothers and sisters in this world.

Do we cry out with joy for all God has done for us? Are we willing to be led by our Good Shepherd where we need to go? How can we be good shepherds to others?

O Lord, tend us.

Amen.

Seventh Friday of Easter

Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.

These words are spoken by the risen Christ after he asks Peter if he loves him three times. These three yes’s make up for Peter’s three denials of Jesus during his trial. They make clear that Peter has accepted Jesus’ message completely and that he is ready to feed and tend the spiritual flock of Christ’s followers. We too deny Christ in great and small ways throughout our lives and as we mature in our faith there comes many moments in our lives when God asks us “Do you love me?” Hopefully, we answer with an emphatic “Yes!” as many times as He asks us! However, when we do give our assent to His Will, we must be willing to allow God to dress us as he wishes and lead us where He wills, even to those places where we do not wish to go.

Do we love God more than all worldly things? What do we do to feed and tend God’s flock? Are we willing to allow Jesus to lead us to where we do not want to go?

O Lord, we love you, lead us where your will.

Amen.