Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C
Acts 13.14, 43-52 Psalm 100 Revelation 7.9, 14b-17 John 10.27-30
At all Masses this weekend at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick was offered to those who have a serious illness or who are suffering the effects of old age. The following brief homily was preached prior to the Anointing.
Jesus is very clear today. There are no conditions … no exceptions. Anyone who hears his voice and follows him will never perish. Ever. No one can take his sheep out of his hand. No restrictions … no stipulations. When we follow the Good Shepherd, he will never leave us. No sickness or injury, not even death itself can separate us from his love. Of course, we must follow him; we must listen for his voice. But if we do that, he will always stay with us, in good times and bad, in sickness and health, through all of eternity. In a visible way, the Sacraments of the Church remind us of that. Today, as we offer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, we remember that Jesus is with us in our suffering and pain, he longs to give us strength and peace. To be anointed with oil is to unite ourselves to Christ, who was anointed in his burial, conquered sin and death with his resurrection, and sent the Holy Spirit to be with us always. To be anointed with oil in the sign of the cross is to mark us as children of God, blessed and broken, followers of the Good Shepherd who will never forget us. It is as clear as can be: follow Christ, and he will be with you always. And really, that’s all we need to know.
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