Introspective Sheppardese

“If someone does not bear his or her own cross, and comes to me. S/he cannot be my disciple”. In today’s gospel, Jesus invites us to consider the high price we pay to become his disciples. If we were building a tower, he says, before we start we should analyze our finances, so we will have enough money to finish the tower. We should do our research in regards the cost of the project, Jesus says. We should work on it in advance. You shouldn’t start the project if you cannot finish it. Jesus does not refer to architecture. He was describing discipleship. He warned his disciples about the high cost to follow him. He spoke about our crosses. As his followers we will endure tests walking the path to follow him. It is a narrow path. As his disciples we are exposed to a life of sacrifices. Today, let’s think about our lives, for example. Our children here in St. Andrew’s are getting ready for their first day of school. After church, families will get ready to start the prep work for ba...

John 20:19-31 Mary had told them that she had seen Jesus, but they obviously did not believe her. What they didn’t know back then is that the risen Christ would transform these disciples, and then later Thomas!   Jesus’ first words to them were "Peace be to you" (v. 20). After those words of reassurance, he gave them their directions to embark in their mission, "As the Father has sent me, so I send you" (v. 21). Their fear turned to faith!   Their doubts turned to action!   What happened for such a radical change to happen?   They had come into the presence of the risen Christ!   On Easter evening, Jesus had appeared to the disciples in their locked room.   And then Jesus breathed on them and gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit, and those dry-bones disciples came to life!   He breathed on them and gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit, and they became living disciples! But Thomas was not present!   Thomas was not there with the othe...

Sermon on Easter Sunday March 27, 2016 (John 20:1-18)  Have you noticed spring is here! The grass turns green and little chicks are chirping very loud. What a difference from winter! In winter the panoramic picture is gray. Contrary to winter, spring brings bright colors in flowers blooming and leaves start to grow populating the branches on the trees. We feel alive, even the colors we choose to wear are not black but bright. In today’s gospel, Mary is revealed as the first witness of Jesus’ resurrection. She was one of Jesus’ disciples and dearest friends. But we would think that he would grant this honor to one of the inner-circle disciples or to his mother.   But God's ways are not our ways.   We would not have picked Mary Magdalene or Mary of Magdala for this honor, but neither would we have picked devious Jacob to carry on the promise of a great nation, or boy David to get rid of the giant, or oppressor Saul to become missionary Paul.   God calls wh...

Fifth Sunday in Lent 2016 Year C In Jesus' story, the landowner is God and the tenants are the people of Israel.   This is the story of Israel.   God brought the Israelites out of Egypt and made them his people.   God made the Israelites into a nation.   God told the Israelites how he wanted them to behave, but he left them lots of freedom.   What a God! It’s important to remember that this parable was given specifically to the religious leaders of Israel. The messengers represent the Old Testament prophets. God sent numerous prophets to Israel to warn them of the dangers of rejecting God authority over their lives. Most of the prophets were abused and hated when they were alive. - Elijah was threatened by a wicked queen, - Jeremiah was thrown into a pit to die, and - Amos was scorned and ridiculed. The messages of the prophets were never valued until years after they died. Someone once said, “Prophets, poets, and pigs have one thing in comm...

                                                                                   Last Epiphany Sunday February 7th, 2016 Year C This event in the life of Jesus is described through the synoptic gospels. We learned through this magnificent event that Jesus is the bridge between heaven and earth.   This gospel describes how Jesus took Peter, James and John to the top of the mountain. How many of you have climbed up a mountain, or a hill? How is the vision from up there?  I bet is magnificent. You can breath clean air, and it does provoke such a powerful feeling.   The kind of feeling that connects us with God. I will call it a “God thing”. That thing we cannot express with words because we are overwhelmed by its magnificence. Jesus gave his inner circle the m...

Don’t you think this year went so fast? I feel this way. In my way of perceiving things, I feel during the changing from summer to Fall, time sped up. During these days I asked Luke, my husband, about his new year’s resolutions, he gave me just one: “Not worrying about what other people think about me.” I told him, tell me more: “Not doing things to impress people.” In his answer I heard the words from Paul to his followers: “ Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Gal1:10. From my side, I take my time, I am a person of process… in other words, I have to process things… I have to put some thought to the process of my new year’s resolutions. I thought about goals and how I work on my short, mid and long-term goals… 2014 has been a big year with a lot of changes and accomplishments… uncertainty vs. trusting in God… sacrifices vs. unknown blessi...

Good Friday is the only day in the Christian calendar in which the center of the ceremony is not the Eucharist but the cross.   We do not consecrate the host on this day, but consume the reserve sacrament from the previous day. Have you ever realized after preparing a delicious meal that everything tastes better the day after? The leftovers have that property. They taste especially different with such deliciousness because they have soaked in the spices and the juices better.   In our Christian life, eating the reserve sacrament the day after, reminds us of this special taste of Jesus’ sacrifice and offering for us. We have the privilege to recreate this memory as if it were our first memory of the taste of Jesus’ body and blood. The cross requires all of our attention. We contemplate, honor, revere and worship the crucified Jesus. This is the ultimate act of salvation in which the law of the prophets and God’s promise to God’s people are fulfilled. Jesus gives his spirit...