The two questions I most often get from a parent/grandparent
concerned for the salvation of their children/grandchildren are: “How can I
help them back from the abyss of the many forms of additive behavior?” and “They
don’t go to church any more, how can I get them to return?” My short answer is
you must love them back to wholeness. Not of over simplify the magnitude of
each situation, yet the reality is the child (who now may be an adult) needs to
see and know the parent’s love, even in their deepest disagreement and
disappointment. The child needs the kind of love that listens without
judgement, a love that listens for what is not being said, that seeks to
understand their deepest need, and a love that selflessly offers themselves in
service to their need.
John Neumann was looking forward to being ordained in 1835
when the bishop decided there would be no more ordinations. As difficult as it
might be for us to imagine now, but all over Europe there were so many priests,
no bishop wanted any more. John, disappointed, yet certain he was called to be
a priest, wrote to the bishops in America. Finally, the bishop in New York
agreed to ordain him in 1836.[1]
His many priestly assignments found him on horseback, heading
off miles away from his home parish. Staying in the open air, taverns, inns, or
parishioners’ barns, bringing Christ to the people at Mass, through teaching
and through his gift of language hearing confessions in 7 different languages.
He was rugged and didn’t mind “roughing it” in order to help his people come to know
Christ. In today’s phrasing we would say, “He was a
man’s man!” In
Catholic phrasing, we can say, “He was a good
shepherd.”
John saw his parishioners’
needs and loved them, by serving them.[2]
“When Jesus saw the
vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep
without a shepherd;”
(Mk
6:34) and he challenged
His disciples to trust in God to love, and serve God’s children. Telling them
to, “Give them some food yourselves.” (Mk 6:37)
This and today’s passage, from the first letter of John, underscores the priority of God’s love as shown in sending His Son “as expiation for our sins.” (1Jn 4:10). In other words, the times we fail to love as He has loves us. God’s love as revealed in Jesus, requires mutual love on the part of the disciples. Suggesting, we do not demonstrate our love of God directly, but only indirectly, through our love for each other. The love of God impels us to reciprocate His love, by our genuine love for one another.[3]
John Neumann was a great shepherd in his life because he knew Jesus loved him, pitied him when necessary, taught him life lessons, and fed him with the Bread of Life. Through the example of St. John Neumann, we are likewise invited, as shepherds of our families, to trust in God; for what Jesus’ coming reveals is God’s love for us; our response to that love, is through our love and service to all our sisters and brothers, who are the beloved children of God.
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