I want to introduce you to my friend, 90 year old, Bob Vannier of Ticonderoga - last Sunday, Bob invited me out for a sail - now I want you to know I know very little about sailing - so I thought it would be interesting - I knew Bob was an experienced sailor - what I didn't realize was just how agile this 90 year old was - so I was quite astonished to see him hustling around - puttin gup sails - moving up and down the hull - and I was truly impressed with his love for sailing - he just loves every moment that he is out on Lake Champlain - by the way, he is still an avid skier - so this sailing experience was my highlight of the week.
Now - as for this weekend's Scriptures - I must admit to you at this moment I have no idea of just what I will be saying at Mass this weekend - I have many ideas but they have just not settled into a good pattern for me.
The Old Testament reading - from Jeremiah - establishes a contrast with this week's psalm and Gospel - Jeremiah speaks out against the leaders - the religious leaders of his day - bringing the words of God to them, saying, "Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the Lord." This reading will be followed by the very familiar psalm - the 23 psalm - the Good Shepherd Psalm - in which the psalmist describes the great love and care that the Good Shepherd has for his flock - the compassionate love that God has for his people. Then in the Gospel - Jesus first of all shows compassionate love to his apostles - if you remember last Sunday's Gospel - he sent them out on missionary journeys two by two throughout Galilee - this Sunday's reading describes their return - and Jesus says - you need to take a rest - let us go across the lake and find a place to rest. Their rest period is interrupted by the appearance of the crowd, seeking the presence of Jesus - and Jesus does not hesitate to give them his time and love - his compassionate love. I suppose I could talk about interruptions - although very annoying - interruptions can be the stuff of life - how often the unexpected interruptions of a day can be the best time, the time best spent, the most successful thing that we do during a particular day.
Then there is the reading from Paul's Letter to the Ephesians - Paul writes to urge his peole to break through their controversies and divisions - and discover the peace and happiness of unity. He holds up for them Jesus as his model - he writes, "In Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ." Christ himself is that peace which brings unity - through the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit that brings peace they and we will find unity - Christ makes peace by giving himself - he willing demonstrates his peace by his desire for peace by his willing to accept suffering and sacrifice out of love - and Christ often preached peace.
Paul reminds his people and us - that creating unity now - we must emulate Jesus - first of all we must find peace -the peace that leads to unity - by forming our relationship with Jesus and living our lives in the Spirit and love of Jesus. We must understand that making peace is costly - it demands a readiness to sacrifice - by putting aside our own wishes - it begins by demanding our readiness to listen - listen with empathy - and a readiness to dialogue - to talk things out over and over again.
Then, in the following of Jesus, we turn to the Holy Spirit and pray for guidance and help and wisdom that we may be a force for good in uniting ourselves and others together - and then we are called to preach peace - by our lives and the way we treat others - by our readiness to share Christ's gift of reconciliation - through our words and actions.
LET US PRAY
Almighty God, my Father - hear me as I pray this day - may I truly learn to be a part in your hopes for unity among all peoples - especially, among all people of faith - may I discover your peace - and may I live in your peace - for through the peace and with your love, I will destrsoy barriers that keep me from others - that will help to establish unity in my parish and my world. This is my prayer. Amen.
Please join me as we say together the Lord's Prayer.
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