Very Rev. Timothy Kearney, V.F.

The coastal storm raging outside was causing havoc along the New England coast. It had already dumped two feet of snow in Gloucester. The wind was howling and the waves of the Atlantic surrounding Eastern Point were particularly stirred up. The weather outside made the Fireplace Room at Gonzaga Retreat House with the roaring fire in the hearth seem all the more comforting. A silent retreat was taking place. For some it was the beginning of a Thirty Day Retreat based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Others were present for an eight day retreat. In the Fireplace Room the only sound that could be heard was the crackling of the fire which seemed to make the sounds of Mother Nature all but disappear. The silence was broken by a woman who was sniffling and needed a Kleenex. You could see was weepy but didn't seem to be in distress. Some people turned to her, planning to offer some comfort if needed but she just smiled and pointed to the book she was reading. It was the first edition of Chicken Soup for the Soul, and since she was not the only person reading the book in that room, people understood. The first volume contained some tear jerking stories such as the boy with a disability who wants to buy a puppy that limps because the dog will need someone who understands or the sick child who is given the opportunity to be a firefighter for a day. She could have been reading either of these tales or a host of others. Chicken Soup for the Soul is filled with inspirational and moving stories that can, and often do, tug at the heartstrings.

In some ways the story behind Chicken Soup for the Soul is an inspirational story. Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen are motivational speakers and had the idea of collecting inspirational stories. Both believed people would love them and that stories had the potential to transform lives. The two collected stories, some by celebrities but most by ordinary people, and grouped them into categories. They pitched the idea to major publishers, all of whom thought the idea was interesting but felt there would not be a market for the books. Over twenty five different publishing houses rejected the idea but one small firm decided to take a chance. That was thirty years ago and since that time, over one hundred million copies of the various books in the series have been sold. Though many of the stories that inspire transformation espouse positive thinking, persevering in spite of failure, or never giving up, all of which are important in life, many of the transformational stories are faith based. Some volumes are collections of faith based stories. People's lives are transformed when they realize God loves them, forgiveness is possible, and life can begin anew. Some of the most beloved people in the Gospels, people such as Mary Magdalene, Matthew, Zaccheus, and Peter just to name a few, are people whose lives were transformed by Jesus Christ. The list of saints whose lives have been transformed by following Jesus is even longer. You have people such as St. Augustine who by his own account was a notorious sinner, St. Katherine Drexel who gave used her huge fortune to open schools for African American and Native American children, Frederick Ozanam whose small acts of generosity were the beginnings of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, or St. Rose Philippine Duchesne who in spite of illness and difficulties learning languages opened schools for Native Americans in Canada and the United States. So much of the history of Christianity is the story of lives transformed.

In our second reading this weekend, we hear in the First Letter of John "Dearly beloved, we are God's children now, what we shall be has not yet been revealed." This passage is an option for two very different liturgies. It can be read at funerals, referring to the glory of the Resurrection and eternal life with God. It can also be read at Baptisms, particularly infant Baptisms. When a child is Baptized, we do not know what direction the child's life will take. Our hope is that it will be a life well lived and one headed towards sainthood. Ideally, we hope a child's life will be filled with wonderful people, joys, and purpose. There will be bumps and bruises along the way, lessons that have to be learned and quite possibly hardships. When we journey through life as disciples of Jesus, we appreciate the joys as God's gifts, we persevere through the challenges and difficulties, and when we get off track, we allow the Lord to help us, important lessons to remember as we think about Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd.

St. John the Apostle knew a bit about transformation first hand. It is believed that the letters attributed to St. John were among the last written in the Bible when he was advanced in years. He speaks of a loving Jesus who is always ready to forgive and encourages those who have sinned to return to the Lord. He writes as a man who has seen it all, and he has seen and experienced quite a bit. He was one of the first followers Jesus called so he saw the entirety of Jesus' ministry. He was at the foot of the cross, he believed in the Resurrection without seeing the Risen Lord. Jesus entrusted John with the honor of caring for his mother Mary. He seems to become Peter's right-hand man in Acts of the Apostles. He wasn't perfect. John and his brother James were nicknamed "Sons of Thunder." He asked Jesus for a special place in Heaven which showed he was ambitious, he wanted fire and brimstone to destroy the Samaritans who disrespected Jesus. He began following Jesus as an idealistic youth, he played a significant role in the growth of the early Church, and experienced waves of persecution that took the lives of many people he loved. He lived his final years in exile. Perhaps the reason his letters speak of love, forgiveness, and steadily following Jesus is because he learned these lessons in his life. He was transformed by Jesus and when he encouraged people to live as believers, he was speaking from experience.

Our second reading is appropriate this weekend as we remember Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd, the Good Shepherd who leads and guides us as he did the Apostle John, and in the process transforms us.