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Honor Thy Father
June 21, 2009
(3rd
Sunday after Pentecost)
The Good Shepherd
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On this
Fathers' Day, our thoughts go first to God, our Heavenly Father, whose Voice
is filled with Paternal love. He speaks to us day by day in the liturgy,
today through the voice of St. Peter, our first Holy Father in the Epistle
at Holy Mass:
1Peter V.6-11
"Dearly beloved, be you humbled therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in the time of visitation:
Casting all your care upon him, for he hath care of you. Be sober and watch: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour.
Whom resist ye, strong in faith: knowing that the same affliction befalls your brethren who are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, will himself perfect you, and confirm you, and establish you.
To him be glory and empire for ever and ever. Amen."
How
loving a Father, we listen as trusting, grateful children. And our Jesus in
the Holy Gospel describes His Paternity: Luke XV.4
“What man is there of you
that hath a hundred sheep, and if he shall lose one of them, doth he not
leave the 99 in the desert, and go after that which was lost until he find
it?”
How
Fatherly Jesus and St. Peter are, they are both the fulfillment of Ezechiel
34,v.10-15
"Thus saith the Lord God: Behold I myself come upon the shepherds, I will require my flock at their hand, and I will cause them to cease from feeding the flock any more, neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more: and I will deliver my flock from their mouth, and it shall no more be meat for them.
For thus saith the Lord God: Behold I myself will seek my sheep, and will visit them.
As the shepherd visiteth his flock in the day when he shall be in the midst of his sheep that were scattered, so will I visit my sheep, and will deliver them out of all the places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
And I will bring them out from the peoples, and will gather them out of the countries, and will bring them to their own land: and I will feed them in the mountains of Israel, by the rivers, and in all the habitations of the land.
I will feed them in the most fruitful pastures, and their pastures shall be in the high mountains of Israel: there shall they rest on the green grass, and be fed in fat pastures upon the mountains of Israel. 15 I will feed my sheep: and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God."
“Now I lay me
down to sleep…” in the arms of the Good Shepherd,
Jesus
I trust in Thee. Deo Gratias!
s.m.mi.
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