”This is what I am asking you — Be shepherds with the smell of sheep”…The Catholic faithful can not “smell like the sheep” if we “live on a hill”…Jesus was a “regular guy”…Who walked among “regular people”…Who shared his life with others…We must do the same

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading from a letter to the Hebrews something which I believe to be very reassuring…..”For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help”….Jesus was “one of us”…He is a “regular guy”…He is relatable…..And at the same time he is God…….Jesus did not lord his divinity over people, he shared it with them….He also provided a means for us to receive mercy through the power of forgiveness, which he offered to humanity while he walked the earth and still offers to mankind to this very day………The minute you “think” you are better than another, you become worse!…..Arrogance does not come from God and only the humble of heart know God….There is something about a person who is down to earth that makes them attractive to others…..This is how we as Catholics should strive to be - Down to Earth….We are to be in the world but not of the world…..”You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lamp-stand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

“Jesus went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them.”

How does one acquire a down to earth spirit?…Well a lot of it has to do with how you we’re raised but I believe it also comes down to knowing that everything we have is a gift..Our talents, Our position in life…Our status - All a gift - Its on loan…But here is the catch - There is always a catch…God wants what he gave to us back with interest….”It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one— to each according to his ability”………All gifts must be shared and in order to share, we must not live a life “behind walls”….Catholics should never separate themselves from the world…We must “walk among the world” and share our life……….When I was serving with Mother Teresa’s sisters I met many interesting people…One of those people I am going to tell you about today…His name was Andy…Andy was a banker from Germany…Andy had a very good life and was very gifted…..He too came to Kolkata to serve the poor but something happened to him while he was there that Andy never expected…He never left Kolkata….Andy used his money to establish a house for the mentally handicapped…Many children from poor families in India who have mental disabilities are abandoned on the streets….The Missionaries of Charity take in these children and raise them…..Well Andy felt called to do the same….When I met him and heard his story I was blown away!…Who does that??!!…I work in banking…”I’m a nice guy” - So people say - But I would NEVER do what Andy did…Andy was a gifted person (just like many people we know) but he did not look down upon people, just the opposite, he used his gifts to “raise people up”….There are two kinds of charity in this world….Please let me explain with an analogy…If you live in a two family house and you live on the second floor and a poor family lives on the first floor…And periodically, you go down to the first floor with some food…That is one form of charity and don’t get me wrong, that is great!…But its another thing all together when you live on the second floor and have a very comfortable life…And you “give that life up” and move down to the first floor to help the poor family by living next to them…That is what Andy did….That is also what Jesus did….”Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also everyone for those of others. Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself”…….People who are “down to earth” know who they are to their very core…They have no one to impress……And when we acquire this mindset, we “walk among the people”…People like that do not think they are “better” then the next person…And they share what God has given to them with others….”Nice words” written on a piece of paper do not change hearts….Only faith in action, a rock solid faith lived out in the streets of everyday life “leaves a mark” on society and the world…That is what my friend Andy did from Germany - And his example “left a mark” on me!….So here is the question - How do we do that too?…Maybe not to the degree that Andy did, but how do we do this in relation to our own station in life in the here and now?…By encountering the living God…..Jesus called 12 men…”Regular guys” - Who dropped everything and literally died for Christ…A person does not die for a lie…God is real....Jesus was also a “regular guy”…Who walk among “regular people”…Who shared his life with others…We must do the same

“Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”………And he got up and followed Jesus”

The first reading today from Mass tells us that Jesus was a do-er….He did not only read about the will of God or “talk a good game” - He lived the word of God…And so must we!…We do that first off by not thinking we are better then our neighbor because we have been given the great gift of our Catholic faith, we must view our Catholic faith as just that, a gift to be shared with our neighbor in word and deed….Jesus was a “man of the people”, he had everything (He was God) but did not “lord” himself over others…We must do the same - "The Son of man came to serve not to be served"….This kind of witness is attractive to the world…Anyone can “say nice things”…Or can write “nice things” on a piece of paper - So what!….What is required is a witness to the Gospel lived out in the public square…That witness does not happen when we “think” we are better then the next guy - No matter who the "next guy" is…Pope Francis rightly stated…..”This is what I am asking you — Be shepherds with the smell of sheep”…The Catholic faithful can not “smell like the sheep” if we “live on a hill”…Jesus was a “regular guy”…Who walked among “regular people”…Who shared his life with others…We must do the same