BY JIM SCHROEDER
REFLECTION — Good Shepherd Church, Evansville
Good Shepherd Church, Evansville
“We stick together.”
We were making our way into the pews at the southwest corner of Evansville’s Good Shepherd Church. In front of us, a group of lacrosse players from Reitz Memorial High School had come to the Saturday afternoon Mass. In a show of solidarity, they were wearing t-shirts that aptly stated the three words at the top of this column. As Mass was just getting ready to start, the last of our group that evening – 12 adults and 19 children (including two residing in utero) – had just arrived.
The readings that day centered on the laws of the land. As the Old Testament reading from Sirach led off, “If you choose you can keep his commandments. It is loyalty to do his will.” Later in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus declared, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill.”
Deacon Dan DeCastra spoke shortly thereafter in the homily. He recalled how the rules of his home growing up sometimes superseded the laws of the land. But no matter what was expected, his parents stressed that the rules of the house were not intended to be punitive, but rather to allow all the family members to live in love and harmony. He spoke of a specific instance where he drank (he was above the legal age), but drove home after a few beers. The rule had been set that if this occurred, a punishment would result even if it was not against the law. And so a punishment was given.
Just as Deacon DeCastra’s parents had been in shepherding their flock, so Jesus had attempted to do so in his teachings up on the mountain. As he said, “Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
For Christ, like Deacon DeCastra, just as for the lacrosse team that “sticks” together, life is not a singular proposition. It is about loyalty and camaraderie, and leading each other in the right way; in being the good shepherd for each other. As the hymn after communion reminded me once again,
We are many parts. We are all one body
And the gifts we have, we are given to share
May the spirit of love, make us one indeed
One, the love that we share
One, our hope in despair
One, the cross that we bear
This reflection is from Jim Schroeder’s book “The Evansville Diocese Historical Tour: Footprints of Our Catholic Brethren.” Jim, his wife, Amy, and their kids live in Evansville. They are parishioners at Holy Redeemer Parish. Jim is a pediatric psychologist and Vice President of the psychology department at Easterseals Rehabilitation Center. “The full story, including illustrations, is available on Amazon or with his other books and articles at www.james-schroeder.com.”