"I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest. I am the good shepherd."  ~ John 10:1-11

"The Lord is My Shepherd" is perhaps one of the best known phrases in all of scripture. For many it is a comfort in a time of grief - a reminder that God is with us a guides us through life's darkest valleys. This passage is also a reminder of not just who, but whose we are called to be. "Shepherd" was a term used to describe a king's duties in the ancient near east. Jesus says he is the good shepherd as opposed to the bad shepherd. What does a good shepherd do? Loves his sheep even unto death on the cross so that all may "life life to the fullest". As the body of Christ we are called to be good shepherds - to  risk everything, even our own existence, for the sake of others. What is keeping you form living you life to the fullest? What is keeping your neighbor or even your enemy from living their life to the fullest? We cannot fix the problems in others' lives any more than Jesus can simply fix our problems, but we can love one another as he first loved us. We can forgive one another as we are forgiven. And, we can walk with each other through life's darkest valley's knowing Jesus has gone before us. How will you be the good shepherd today?

"If we claim, "We don't have any sin," we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."      ~ 1 John 1:8

Sin is one of the most difficult and complex aspects of Christian living. It is too easy to fall into the trap of trivializing and justifying our sins (while usually judging others' sins) to the point that we do not feel the need to confess because "we really haven't been that bad". Conversely, we may also fall into the trap that our sins are so great, that we are so broken and unworthy that we can never be made whole again. Different theologies, denominations pastors and churches support each of these two beliefs. I find sin to be both much more complex and ironically much more simple- because inherent in sin is the paradox of Christian life. Unlike some theories, I do not believe there are minor or major sins (venieal or mortal). Sin is that which distracts, deters or separates us from God. As John's first letter acknowledges- we all sin. All of us. Neither Jesus or John talk about degrees of sin, rather it is an unfortunate result of the messiness of life. However, in the midst of our sin (our rejection or separation from God) we are offered unending forgiveness, love and grace. All of us. No matter whether you cussed at someone in traffic or are a mass murderer. We are all sinners and we are all children of God. Jesus shows us a way out of a life of sin, a life which proclaims unending forgiveness and grace even unto death on the cross. The promise of resurrection is the promise of grace which even death cannot keep from us. 

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life." ~ 1 John 1:1

Faith is often only thought of as a commodity, something that we have, or something transcendent, beyond the normal or physical realm. While Jesus does talk about having or not having faith and there are intellectual and spiritual aspects of faith, faith is also something which is embodied. Faith is smelled, touched, tasted, heard and seen. Faith is not evident only in what we say or what we believe but how we act on those beliefs.
After Jesus' death and resurrection he meets the disciples and invites them to touch him, see him and listen to him. In many occasions he shares a meal with them. The first letter of John reminds people that the Gospel is not just something heard, but seen and grasped. The Good News comes to us in many ways: we see it in the faces of those who gather for worship and at the food pantry, we taste it in the communion bread and fellowship pastry, we smell it in fine perfumes and the sweat of hard work, we hear it in the voices of children and the whispers of the elderly, and we touch it in one another's hands.
How have you experienced your embodied faith? How will you share that faith with others?