I was never good at
sharing. When I was a child I wanted my own room, my own desk, my own book, and
my own box of crayons. I was never good at sharing, at least when I was a
child.
The Son of God,
however, is very good at sharing. The Lord Jesus is very good at sharing. He
shares with us everything that is his, and he shares with us in everything that
is ours. The Lord Jesus is very good at sharing.
The Lord Jesus has
shared so much with us. When the Son of God came from heaven to the womb of the
Virgin Mary, he shared the glory of heaven with the people of earth. He brought
heaven’s praises to our humble prayers. He shared with all of creation the
glory that was his before the foundation of the world. And Jesus shared with us
the privilege to call upon God as Father. He shared his Father with us.
The Lord Jesus shares
with us in everything that is ours. He knows what it is like to be a child in a
far country because he was a child in Egypt. The Lord Jesus shares with us in
our celebrations because he was a guest at the wedding at Cana. He shares with
us in our grief for he wept at the tomb of Lazarus. The Lord Jesus shares with
us in the joy of friendship as with his disciples and in the sadness of
betrayal as with Judas. He shares with us in our sufferings for he was scourged
and nailed to a cross. He shares with us in everything.
The Lord Jesus has
shared his mission with us. He has shared his sacred work with us. In our
baptism Christ the Lord bestowed a royal priesthood upon each of us. We are
each sharers in his mission as priest, prophet and king. We each are united to
Christ in offering the sacrifice of our lives, in proclaiming the words of
salvation, and shepherding the kingdom of God. The Lord Jesus has shared this
royal mission with all of us.
But then, with the
kindness of a brother, the Lord Jesus chose some of us, at least two of us
here, to share in his sacred ministry by the laying on of hands. The Lord Jesus
chose us not because we were worthy but to show the abundance of his mercy. The
Lord Jesus shares with his priests his sacred work in a particular way. The
Lord Jesus shares with his priests his power, but his power is shared only for
the glory of God and for the loving service of his people. The Lord Jesus
shares with his priests the privilege of living with, and crying with, and
preaching with, and rejoicing with the holy and glorious people of God. The
Lord Jesus has shared so much with us.
And tonight, the Lord
Jesus shares with us his Body and Blood. On the night before he died, he
gathered his apostles. He consecrated bread and wine to be his Body and Blood.
He consecrated his apostles so that they would consecrate bread and wine to be
his Body and Blood. Through his Body and Blood, the Lord Jesus consecrates you
and me so that we can share in his life as we make our way to the Kingdom where
he lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and
ever. Amen.
Preached
at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Monroe, NC
