11A23.    Exodus 19:2-6a.   The Lord said to Moses: “tell the Israelites: You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians and how I bore you up on eagles’ wings and brought you here to myself.  Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though the earth is mine.  You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.”  God vividly contrasts his violent rejection of the Egyptians and his mighty embrace of the Israelites.  However, he reminds the Israelites that they belong to God, only if they choose to belong to him.  Everything and everyone that the Lord has made is his, but he raises up the Israelites far above everyone else to be his “special possession,” his “holy nation.”

Matthew 9:36-10:8.   “At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.”  Jesus calls upon his followers to pray that the Lord will send out those who will cultivate a harvest of followers.  Historically speaking though, too often do the shepherds look after themselves and not the sheep.

Romans 5:6-11.  Paul wrote: “Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly.”  Before the Holy Spirit was given to humanity we were helpless to defend ourselves against sin. Only because of his love for us and not anything we ever did, Jesus poured out his love for us by sacrificing his life for us on the cross.  His love for us is his gift to us that has been and is now given to us without our having done anything to deserve his love, so loved are we by the God who is love.  A wonderful sign of his love for is the Sacred Heart of Jesus.