Easter 4a - conclusion

The website that hosts Living the Lectionary was down this morning and had been for about 24 hours. The BlogSpot twitter sphere is awash with apologies and promises that they are making progress and will have it fixed soon.  Meanwhile in the real world it’s a lovely morning in North Texas so perhaps this is a sign to shut down my pc and sit outside with my Grande Americano (no room) in a mug.  The lessons for Easter 4a are all about an alternate lifestyle, at least in the sense that the abundance of the life in Christ is measured differently than the one in the wired world. For the first Christians it was an abundant life together where the story of Jesus was shared in community that with glad and sincere hearts worshipped and prayed together. David, who knows a thing or two about sheep, imagines himself shepherded through this life by the Lord, provided for and protected even in the valley of the shadow, until the house of the Lord is his forever home.  For the people who read Peter’s letter the abundant life meant trusting the shepherd and guardian of their souls and following Jesus come what may, even if that meant sharing his suffering. And in the Gospel the abundant life is found in the shepherd and gate for the sheep who calls each one by name and provides for each the rich pasture of peace.