The Solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe - Fr. Leo
“I myself will look after and tend my sheep.” (EZ 34:11)
These are God’s words to us. It is God himself who will seek us out, bring us back, heal our wounds, and give us rest. God is like the parent who will make things all better again. If my bike breaks, daddy can fix it. If I’m sad, mommy can make me feel better.
Though this may sound childish, it is not. When we make a mess of our lives by our choices that lead us to long to eat what the pigs are eating, God can bring us home and restore the full experience of our son-ship and daughter-ship in Christ.
Our choice is to surrender to God or not. To live by the will of our false self, or to live in communion with God in the Holy Spirit though Christ. We do not have to be embarrassed at all about returning home to the Father like the prodigal son. We all make mistakes, we should expect that, but we should also let God love us in bringing us home, making everything better again, when we need it.
Knowing our need for God’s freely given mercy makes our faults “happy faults” because they bring us into the depth of God’s love. From this experience we are then called to be people of mercy. To be the instruments that God can use to bring this same unconditional love to others.
To know God’s mercy we must spend time alone with God in prayer. Then, in that healing experience of God’s love, we are prepared to minister that gift to others by tending to the needs of the least and ‘lowest’ among us.
The spiritual life is living in relationship with Christ, and in our relationships with others in whom he dwells. This two directional pattern needs both communion with God and action in ministering it to others. One cannot exist well without the other, though for each of us the balance will be different. A monk may spend more time in prayer, but even his life is dedicated to interceding to God for all souls, living and dead.
Our efforts do not need to be news worthy. They can be very small as we simply sow the right intention and let it grow into being. Today, let us rejoice in God as our good shepherd. Then, experiencing God’s healing love, we can heal others though our believing in them and in the Spirit God has placed in them, which they may not be able to see.