MAY 7, 2017
7:30 AM, 9:00 AM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES
Harry Edward Nilsson III was born on June 15, 1941 in Brooklyn, New York. His grandparents were Swedish circus performers known for their aerial ballet. His father left when he was three years old, and he grew up between New York and California living with various relatives and step fathers.
He lied on a job application at a bank when he was 19, claiming to be a high school graduate – when he had really only finished ninth grade. But he was so good with computers, that even when the bank found out, they kept him on. He worked on bank computers at night, and during the day, pursued his true vocation as a singer-songwriter.
He is perhaps best known for his song, “One” – also known as “One is the loneliest number” – which was recorded by “Three Dog Night” in 1966, reaching Number Five on the U.S. Billboard Hot One Hundred.
Following the death of John Lennon, he worked ardently to promote gun control. His musical pursuits became more sporadic from that time until his death at age 53, which occurred while recording a come-back album in 1994.
Today is the Fourth Sunday of Easter. And this week’s readings have an undercurrent or theme of The Good Shepherd. This has led the Fourth Sunday to be dubbed “Good Shepherd Sunday,” and has further led to the promotion of vocations, giving rise to the alternate name of “Vocations Sunday.”
In a few moments, we will rise and profess our common Faith. The Creed we pray is broken into four parts. The first three cover God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. While the last part covers the Church, Baptism, the Resurrection, and Eternal Life.
There are four adjectives used to describe the Church. These adjectives are known as the “Four Marks of the Church.” These aren’t they type of marks that mean your parish church needs a new paint job. These are the distinguishing characteristics of the Church – the True Church – founded by Christ.
The Four Marks of the Church are: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.
The Church is Apostolic, because we are founded on the teachings and traditions of the 12 Apostles. But more than ancient history, the Church is Apostolic because we are sent – the Greek word "apostello" means "to be sent." And we are sent at the end of Mass to go and spread the Gospel in the world by our lives, our words, and our actions.
The Church is Catholic because it is “Universal” – which is what Catholic means in Greek (katholikos).
The Church is Holy – not because we are particularly holy, but because we are made Holy through God’s grace, and are the Bride of Christ.
The tough one, is how is the Church “one?”
Six verses after the end of today’s Gospel reading, Jesus continues; speaking about His flock being composed of many folds, but that He as the Good Shepherd leads and calls His sheep so,
There will be one flock, [and] one shepherd.
And this is the unity of the Church. It isn’t “uniformity,” but rather is a unity under Christ.
In the Fourth Chapter of the Letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul enunciates this “unity of the spirit” by declaring that there is
one body, … one Spirit … [and] one hope … ; one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism; one God and Father of all , who is over all and through all and in all.
And so, by the power of the Holy Spirit, our differences are united under one Lord and Shepherd, one Faith and one Hope, in one Body – the Mystical Body of Christ – and and through, in, and under one God.
Which makes us one flock, under one shepherd.
And so, the Church is “One” while remaining diverse. So that in pursuing our unique vocations – in marriage, ministry, or single life – we form the one Body of Christ, united in the mission of living out the Gospel in our lives.
As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ – the One Sacrifice of the Good Shepherd, Who lays down His life for _us_ His sheep – let us reflect on the Four Marks of the Church and how they relate to our own understanding of not only our role in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church; but also on how we contribute to its unity, holiness, universality, and evangelical character.
Then, as we are sent forth from this place, may we help to build the Kingdom of God … in our selves, our homes, our town, and in our world.
