Deacon Ed Shoener, Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C, (Mental Illness Mentioned)
We live in difficult times. The war in Ukraine that may expand, a worldwide pandemic, economic uncertainty, and so many other problems.
We look on in shock, perhaps anger - and we want answers. We want peace, we want things to be safe, we want our lives and the lives us those we love to be filled with joy.
In these troubled times, we want to hear the voice of someone who can give us some answers. Who can we trust?
Amid all the suffering, violence, and uncertainty in the news – in today’s Gospel Jesus says to us: “hear my voice”.
Now, perhaps for many of us, what is in the news is not really grabbing our attention because we have other things, closer to home, making a loud and troubling noise in our own personal life.
It may be a relationship, perhaps a marriage, that is falling apart. It is such an overwhelming problem. It makes it almost impossible to focus on anything else.
Listen to Jesus saying – “hear my voice”. You are not alone.
Sickness is draining you – either your own physical or mental health challenges or the health of someone you love.
Listen to Jesus saying – “hear my voice”. You are not alone.
Or for so many of us it is simply the daily problems of living in an age that tells us to listen to so many other voices that we are filled with anxiety and depression.
The job, or perhaps the lack of a job. Just trying to keep things up and get the bills paid.
A culture that seems to take our families and spin them in so many directions. We, our children and grandchildren are surrounded by temptations, pornography, drugs, and addictions.
Yet Jesus is there – saying to us – “hear my voice”. We are never alone.
You know, Christ speaks to us in many different ways. Today is Mother’s Day. A mother can hear Christ’s voice speaking through her children, or perhaps her grandchildren, especially when they are young.
Young children don’t comment on the news. They don’t ask about our work.
They smile at the simple things in life. A walk to the park, perhaps. It is springtime. They want to get on a swing for the first time in a few months and take it for a ride.
Little children and their Holy Innocence. If we are lucky, perhaps some of us will hear God speak to us through a child this week.
Or look around you here in this magnificent cathedral. This is all here for us. God uses this cathedral to speak to us.
Look over there and see Joseph on his deathbed being led to heaven by Jesus and Mary. That painting speaks to us about the promise Christ made to all of us, and to those we love.
The suffering of the Cross is present, but during Easter season in the spring, we also focus on the resurrection. The art in this cathedral is used by God to speak the truth of the resurrection to us.
Listen to Christ speaking to us in the prayers at today’s Mass. Let the Eucharist wash over you with Christ’s presence and love.
But as comforting and important as it is to hear Christ’s voice speaking to us individually – we are all called to do more than that.
We are all called to be the voice of Christ to others.
There is someone in our life that needs to see us smile.
There may be someone who needs to hear us say – I am sorry.
There is someone who needs to hear us say – How can I help.
And in these challenging times – there may be someone who needs to hear us say – “No, that is not right, let’s discuss the truth.” There are things that are right, and there are things that are wrong – at times we are called to speak out and not be silent.
So these are troubled times; in our country and perhaps in our lives.
But we know who our good shepherd is. We can hear His voice.
As we heard today from the Book of Revelation:
The Lamb of God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
The lamb of God will lead us and shelter us
Jesus will lead us to springs of life-giving water.
Listen for His voice.
And Happy Mothers Day.
Amen.