Love God. Live the Eucharist.

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Third Sunday of Easter, April 30, 2017, by Fr. Kevin Anderson

 

 

There are not too many things cuter than a Second Grader all dressed up for First Communion. Not too many things except for this . . . [Huskie puppy is brought in].   This is a Huskie puppy, 2 months old. Her name is “Grace.”   Perhaps our First Communicants would like a closer look? [Invite them up]

 

Now the amazing thing about dogs, and especially puppies, is that they bring out the best in us. With a dog we don’t have a fear of being judged or rejected. They also allow us to be our TRUE selves. A dog will love you no matter what, so we don’t have to put up a “pretense” or a “pretend self.”

 

A dog is always happy to see you. For example, if you have had a bad day at school, a dog will run to you and simply want to be in your presence. If you are worried about how you look, (what to wear, etc.)

a dog doesn’t care, they are just overjoyed to see you.

 

The kind of joy that these kids are experiencing right now, is the same kind of joy that we heard about in the gospel reading. The two men said that when they encountered Jesus, their hearts were burning within them. They may have felt “dumb” because they couldn’t understand what has been happening lately.

Maybe they felt “hungry” for the food that they were relying on, just wasn’t filling them.

 

And then comes along Jesus in the story. Did you notice that in the story, Jesus walks with them? That is one of the best descriptions of Jesus that I know of . . . that Jesus walks with us. And remember that the story takes place just three days after Jesus was bleeding and dying on the cross. And that Jesus appears not whole, but with scars of the nail prints on his hands and feet.

 

So the power of the image of Jesus walking with the two disciples . . . is that he walks along with them, carrying his own wounds and wanting to help them understand things.

 

That is a great example of what Jesus wants for us . . . he is right there with you, he understands your wounds because he has wounds of his own, and there are so many things happening in your life right now that you don’t understand. . . and Jesus says, “I want to help you understand.”

 

And how does he do that? You just heard it in the gospel. Jesus gives himself in the Eucharist. It is like Jesus saying . . . “I give you hope. That no matter how wounded or confused you feel, things will get better.”   Eucharist is the food of hope. Just as Jesus left the cross, not bitter or mad . . . and he appears not judging or shaming.   So it with our relationship with Jesus.

 

I would dare to say, that if you are looking for a good metaphor (that is, a good example) of how Jesus loves you . . . look to how a puppy, or a dog loves you. Jesus is simply excited to see you. Happy to be in your presence, even when you don’t feel worthy of any love. It is like this puppy . . . all that it wants to do is to love.

 

That’s how Jesus feels about you. No matter what you look like, no matter what you have done, no matter how much you have neglected Jesus in the past, Jesus says I understand, now let’s go play.

 

And just like a dog helps us to love, because it is hard not be in the presence of this puppy and not feel the love flowing . . . so it is with God.   So I say to you all . . . let God love you today. God doesn’t want to shame you or judge you . . . just wants to be with you.

 

Just as you First Communicants will be doing in just a bit . . . come often to the table and let yourself be loved by God.

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