May 8, 2022
“Then one of the elders said to me: ‘These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress, they have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.’ For this reason, they stand before God's throne and worship him day and night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will shelter them...But the Lamb who is at the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
The book of revelation offers us, on this Good Shepherd Sunday, a wonderful image of our Shepherd, caring for us in every way. The past two years have found us struggling with a pandemic, taking countless lives, altering lifestyles, depriving us of what we once considered ‘normal.’
These events give us greater reason to seek the Lord and the shelter He provides. The role of shepherd to lead, to guide, to feed and heal, continues today, and it is Jesus, and in Him alone that we can find what we need. He offers us comfort, care, protection, but like the lost sheep we must search for Him as He seeks us. If I am honest, with myself and with God, I realize that the church, the sacraments, our prayer, life provides what we need from our Good Shepherd.
by Rev. William J. Reilly