Acts 2:42-47 1 Peter 2:19-25 John 10:1-10  Psalm 23

…by his wounds you have been healed.  For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

Peter’s bold words in his letter to the mixed gatherings of persecuted first century Christians continue from last week.  Peter’s words remind us that whatever our station in life, we are healed through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd.  In whatever way we have strayed from the path, always, we find healing upon our return to the shepherd; we place ourselves within the shepherd’s embrace, keenly aware of God’s abiding presence through Jesus Christ our Lord – the guardian of our souls.

As people of God, we are called to take note of God’s presence in the most significant or crucial events of our daily lives as well as the simplest events of day to day.  Too often, we approach our ongoing reflection of God’s providence from the standpoint of an event “being God’s will” or being something God “allowed” to happen.  We say, “Why do bad things happen to “good” people?  Why is there always war someplace in the world?  Can’t God stop war?  Is this God’s will?”  And, probably, each of us has been outraged or completely disheartened at one time or another by someone declaring our misfortune as being God’s will.  So, who do any of us think we are declaring God’s will?

Even so, asking these big questions is a necessary part of our life-long faith journey.

But, exploring God’s presence in our simplest or in our most critical daily activities comes from a different perspective.  Rather than spinning our wheels agonizing over and trying to determine why God allows earthquakes and mass killing and deadly viruses, we come from the perspective of contemplating God’s grace in those tragedies.  Isn’t this a better use of our time – a healthier exercise in faith.   Where is God’s grace in your life right at this moment?

This redirection of thought is not denial of the tragedy; rather, our redirection of thought allows us an attitude of calm amidst the clamor, a calm that allows us to address the crisis more effectively, keeping our focus on God’s presence.  And, most importantly, it is here, in acknowledging God’s presence, that we hear God’s call to our place in the healing of the tragedy?

Where is God in tragedy?  You know the answer.  God is present in the unknown first responders who bring critical emergency health care; God is present in the mega trucker who slops through the deep murky waters to rescue flood victims; God is present in the neighbor who brings the hot meal on the 40^th day of our social isolation.

Where is God present in COVID-19?  For too many, the social isolation has exacerbated loneliness and depression.  An article posted this week offered the advice for counteracting depression with exercises of thanksgiving.  We can all benefit.  One suggestion is to sit quietly and picture in your mind someone who has affected your life in a most positive way; concentrate on the positive impacts this person has had over a period of time; write a letter to this person, whether you intend to mail it or not, or whether the person is alive or deceased.

Another suggestion is to write down, at the end of the day, three simple or significant items of thanksgiving (such as: my neighbor delivered the dog food I needed, and could not lift; my husband replaced the weak battery in my mower, and got it running again; my cousin shared a family picture that brought back sweet memories; a parishioner called to say her surgery showed no cancer).  The exercise of thanksgiving is an exercise of breathing in fresh air and breathing out anxiety.  When we acknowledge our gratitude, we honor God’s presence – God’s ongoing gift of grace that overflows in our mundane daily lives, even when we do not notice.

Where is God present?  Where do we experience God’s grace?

Jesus’ words recorded in John’s Gospel about gates and gatekeepers and shepherds and thieves and bandits can be a bit disconcerting.  Just how is it we are to recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd?  How will I be sure it is not the voice of a thief or bandit?  Will I hear that voice suddenly; will it be familiar, and will I know to follow?

Well, again, we can spend our time agonizing over these questions as if we expect a bolt of lightning to alert us.  Or, we can very intentionally devote our time, moment by moment, prayerfully discovering the many ways God is present and has always been present, even in the simplest slices of our everyday lives.  God is present in Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ is the gate.  We can rest in the assurance that Jesus welcomes us at the gate – the gate through which we come for nurturance and from which we are called to mission.  In our every step of coming and going, God is present.