The Great and Good Shepherd

Reflections on the Readings

April 26, 2015 - Year B

Fourth Sunday of Easter

By Dennis S. Hankins

Readings For This Sunday

The Great and Good Shepherd

I am the good shepherd. (John 10:11)

In the Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms speak of God as the shepherd of Israel. The familiar love and comfort of God is expressed in the Twenty-third Psalm:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul…Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

On the night Jesus was born, shepherds were keeping watch over their flocks by night. In case a wolf has lamb chops on his mind, it's vital that the shepherd keeps vigil with a watchful eye and staff in hand. It's looks idyllic on Christmas cards, but it's not an easy job and requires courage. 

Remember David and Goliath? David offered his services to confront Goliath. However, Saul protested, reminding David the youth, that Goliath had been a warrior from his youth. But David replied, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth; and if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him and killed him. Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." (1 Samuel 17:33-37) 

Without the shepherd, sheep are vulnerable to vicious attacks. Like sheep, we too have an enemy. The devil, like a roaring lion, prowls about us seeking whom he may devour. But we have a Shepherd. He came to destroy Satan's plans and to protect us from his lies and tricks and to rescue the fallen and stricken of Satan. Unafraid, Jesus entered into the battle for our salvation and gave his life for us. And for us he arose from the grave and forever lives to lead his flock to new life.

About a hundred years ago, on April 24, 1915, nationalist Young Turks began their systematic killing of the ancient Christian nation of Armenia. Leaders, bishops,and priests, were rounded up and killed. Death marches of men, women, and children, became a horrific trail of tears. From 1941 to 1945, between five and six million of our Jewish brothers and sisters were killed, out of a population of nine million living in Europe. In 1939 Hitler noted how easy it is to get away with mass murder when he said, "Who, after all, today speaks about the extermination of  the Armenians?" Today, Middle Eastern Christians are being exterminated. Almost daily reports of the beheading of our Christian brothers and sisters fill the news coming from that part of the world.

One might ask, "Why? Why don't we just give up and give in and bow to another? Why lose our heads, our homes, our sons, and our daughters, to evil regimes, and just go along to get along?" Because, my friend, as Jesus said, "My sheep know my voice, and another, they will not follow." The immeasurable blood of the martyrs is a testimony to the Friendship of Jesus, the Great and Good Shepherd. For deep in our heart we know that there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Amen. 

Dennis Hankins is a parishioner at Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, of the Diocese of Knoxville, TN.  Prior to uniting with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil 2006, Dennis served as a priest in the Charismatic Episcopal Church. E-mail Dennis at: dennishankins@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter: @dshankins or visit him at: www.dennishankins.com

Misericordiae Vultus - Bull of indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (11 April 2015)

http://m.vatican.va/content/francescomobile/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco_bolla_20150411_misericordiae-vultus.html

It is I - Handle Me!

Reflections on the Readings

April 19, 2015 - Year B

Third Sunday of Easter

By Dennis S. Hankins

Readings For This Sunday

It is I - Handle Me!

Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you." But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have." 

"Really, it's me!" Jesus exclaimed. 

But they remained troubled and questions flooded their hearts. And as they continued to have joy mingled with doubt, Jesus asked for a piece of broiled fish. Right before their disbelieving eyes he ate it. "A spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have," Jesus explained.

His Emmaus road companions were in the room with the disciples. They were just explaining that they had seen Jesus and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. But, before that they had been slow to believe for Jesus chided them a bit saying, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" 

In the second reading Peter warmly embraces his brethren and says, "Now I know, brothers, that you and your leaders acted out of ignorance. But everything is as God announced it through the mouth of his prophets, that his Christ would suffer. Believe this. Repent and be converted and follow Jesus, the Messiah, so that your sins may be wiped away." 

Peter demonstrates that at the heart of evangelism is the knowledge that the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all mankind. (Titus 2:11) But, sometimes we get sluggish about such things. Jesus becomes remote, and is summoned only when needed, and our spiritual temperature becomes mostly lukewarm. But if Jesus is not alive in our lives, do we dare wonder why he is ignored by the world around us? 

Spiritual inertia, we see it in ourselves and we see it today in the gospel reading too. Now, the fearful disciples are cloistered in a room, hiding from the world and the events of recent days, and Jesus appears in his resurrected body, a body still marked by the signs of the crucifixion. But he is the same Jesus who walked on the water and who was transfigured before them and who stood at the mouth of Lazarus' grave and declared, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me though he were dead, yet shall he live." After Jesus breathes on them a new power, a new energy of courage and confidence and destiny explodes in them.

But, what about our own tendency to remain unchanged and unmoved in the presence of Jesus? Perhaps the words of adoration of John, the Beloved, will help us: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life…that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you." (1 John 1:1, 3) These are moving and descriptive words: heard, seen, looked upon and touched! Think prayerfully on these words the next time you receive our Lord on the altar of your hand and on your tongue. 

Perhaps you will hear Jesus say, "It is I." 

Amen.

Dennis Hankins is a parishioner at Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, of the Diocese of Knoxville, TN.  Prior to uniting with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil 2006, Dennis served as a priest in the Charismatic Episcopal Church. E-mail Dennis at: dennishankins@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter: @dshankins or visit him at: www.dennishankins.com

The Unity of the Faith

Reflections on the Readings

April 12, 2015 - Year B

Second Sunday of Easter

Sunday of Divine Mercy

By Dennis S. Hankins

Readings For This Sunday

The Unity of the Faith

Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Acts 4:32

The story of Easter continues! Alleluia!

The power of Jesus and his triumph over death, hell, and the grave ignites in his people a living faith that overcomes the world. Who indeed is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? Christ unifies his people through his living breath - the very wind of the Spirit of mercy and truth who brings to the children of Adam the blessing of the forgiveness of sins. 

The first Christian community in Jerusalem shared an intimate connection with Jesus and with one another. The Church begins at Pentecost as the Holy Spirit descends upon those gathered in one place and in one accord. (Acts 2:4) The first believers grow in Christ because they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. (Acts 2:42) Generosity characterized the early followers of Christ who had all things in common. They even sold their possessions to make sure everyone's needs were met. Their glad and generous hearts attracted others and the Lord daily added to their number. Mutual care and love for one another is where evangelism begins.

Now, we know that there is no perfect congregation. Any parish can have disagreements and quarrel among themselves. For the Church at Corinth, their unity was threatened as they divided over allegiances to various Christian leaders they had come to know and love. Some followed Paul, others Apollos, and some believed there was no one like Cephas. Paul appeals to the folks at Corinth asking them to put away their dissensions and become united in the same mind, boasting rather in Christ - Christ crucified; Christ the power of God; Christ the wisdom of God; Christ in us, the hope of glory!

Unity is a common theme in the early Church. Paul exhorts the Ephesian Church to use their spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ. He reminds them that their goal is the unity of the faith, maturity in Christ, the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. (Eph. 4:11-13) Paul challenges the Colossians to forgive whatever grievances they may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you, he writes, reminding the Colossians that only forgiveness and mercy will bring about genuine unity. (Colossians 3:13)

There is one body of Christ with many members. Among us there are many gifts of the Spirit each one of us is to use in caring for and building up, one another. One in Christ, we weep with our brothers and sisters who weep. If one rejoices, we all rejoice! All of this understanding goes back to the night that Jesus washed his disciples feet. He said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34 -35)

So the story of Easter continues because it's about our Savior who loved us and rose from the dead for us. Outside the tomb Jesus stared back into the darkness and said, "Death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?" The legacy of Christ's resurrection is the unity of the faith. And because Jesus is alive, and the unity of the faith is so important, may we take to heart these words from the Letter to the Hebrews:

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:23-25)

Amen.

Dennis Hankins is a parishioner at Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, of the Diocese of Knoxville, TN.  Prior to uniting with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil 2006, Dennis served as a priest in the Charismatic Episcopal Church. E-mail Dennis at: dennishankins@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter: @dshankins or visit him at: www.dennishankins.com

Heaven On Earth ~ Easter Sunday

Reflections on the Readings

April 5, 2015 - Year B

The Resurrection of the Lord

The Mass of Easter Day

By Dennis S. Hankins

Readings For This Sunday

Heaven On Earth

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Jihadists gave the Church the fresh blood of martyrs at the beginning of our Holy Triduum this Holy Week. Descending upon a university in the Kenyan town of Garrissa, the Somali-based al-Shabaab terrorist organization began killing Christian students. If the student could recite an Islamic prayer, he was dismissed. Those who couldn't or wouldn't were counted as sheep for the slaughter as was our Lord. Mostly male students are among the 147 dead. Many others are wounded and traumatized. We can only imagine the ordeal for those being hunted down like quarry. Some of the killed were gathered together for morning prayer. They were easy prey. Yet we can be sure that Christ, who is our life, gave these new martyrs of the faith a royal welcome home.

Everyone of goodwill decries religiously based violence. But such fire in the minds of men and women is difficult to extinguish when it is fueled by a misguided understanding of God and is holy love. All of us, whether Jewish, Christian, or Muslim, are better off if we strike our breast in humility rather than beating triumphantly on our drums. But the issue is surrender, isn't it? And I don't mean to each other but to the God we all say we profess. But that's not easy if you think God is on your side and agrees with you. And that mostly creates chaos in families, among friends, in the neighborhood, among nations and on the blog posts. 

I surrendered to Christ at the tender age of nine. I was sitting on the second wooden slat pew from the front on the left side of the church that hot summer evening. From the moment the service started I was overcome by the need to surrender to Christ and his love. Tears welled up in my eyes and I could hear my heart beating as I squirmed in my seat. Brother Snodgrass asked me if I would like to pray. I responded and loving people gathered with me at the altar praying with me and for me while I repented and invited Jesus into my heart and life. For the past 51 years, I've been learning how and why I must surrender more and more to the love of Jesus. Sometimes I even manage to create a little bit of heaven on earth. 

Every baptized Christian is called to be a witness of the way of Christ and his Cross, and his indestructible life. Some doubt and don't grasp that someone, that anyone, could rise from the dead. So our work is cut out for us. The story of Jesus and his resurrection from the dead still needs telling. So, starting right now, let's exalt the name of Jesus by loving one another, by forgiving each other, by being the face of the resurrected Jesus to all we meet. Then there will be more heaven on earth and less chaos. For Jesus lives, and he is praying for us to be faithful, and courageous, until that day when he appears, and we appear with him in glory. Those Christian students in Kenya, who loved not their lives unto death, remind us to settle for nothing less. 

May you have a Happy and Holy Easter. Amen.

Dennis Hankins is a parishioner at Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, of the Diocese of Knoxville, TN.  Prior to uniting with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil 2006, Dennis served as a priest in the Charismatic Episcopal Church. E-mail Dennis at: dennishankins@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter: @dshankins or visit him at: www.dennishankins.com