07/05/2006 - 4th SUNDAY OF EASTER - Year B
First Reading Acts 4:8-12 Psalm 117/118
Second Reading 1 John 3:1-2 Gospel John 10:11-18
Taking into consideration the Fourth Commandment, we see that the relationship
between children and parents is not the only think explained to us but, also,
first and foremost, the love that parents have for their children, and that
of other siblings and other relatives. Generally, this love is intensive; it
springs spontaneously and is not demanded! Yet, even this love has temptations
and can fail, when there is something to be gained, or if ambitions surface.
Sin and negligence can get in the way. Because of this, God's Commandment is
helpful. We must not and cannot allow material things, selfishness and power
to reign and take over our love, which spontaneously comes to light. This spontaneous
love for our parents and relatives is the work of God in us, and we must nurture
it and keep it; we must take care of it and make it grow; we must let it be
a desired love, a faithful love like the love which God for His ungrateful people.
Honouring our father and mother, "even to the point of losing your mind",
as the Scriptures reads in another passage, is a sign of the health of our life.
Just as we must always keep our goal in mind, we must always remember from where
we came. As children we honour our parents by obeying them meekly; as adults
we honour them by meekly obeying God! Our maturity, rich in wisdom and faith,
in uprightness and well-balanced love, honours those who gave us love. Those
who are reckless and disoriented, or who live without making reference to God,
dishonour their parents. They will suffer, as often happens, and may even die.
Today, Jesus is presented to us in a particular way: He is "the cornerstone",
the only "saviour" for all humanity, "the good shepherd"!
The first two images are given to us by Peter. Jesus is the cornerstone of the
new edifice that God wants to build: the Lord, Himself, used this analogy which
is also present in the Psalm. The cornerstone is the firm, stable rock which
supports the edifice. Who chooses it? Everyone knows that the choice is made
by the leader of the construction. Out of the metaphor, it is God who chooses
the One who will be the support and the strength for His new people! He, Himself,
chose Moses, then David, when no one else had faith in them. God, Himself, chooses
the leader and servant who will lead the people of faith. He chooses Jesus!
Men who have some power think that they can eliminate Him because they don't
believe that God does not need their advice, and don't wish to accept the choices
He will eventually make! Peter has no doubt, and presents Jesus knowing full
well that we will welcome Him so that we can be saved: "There is salvation
in no one else". And we, who have some experience, know that this is true:
only by believing and basing our life around Jesus, will we enjoy internal freedom.
Only by loving Jesus will we find communion with our brothers, His disciples,
and only by obeying Jesus will we be assured of entering in the heart of the
Father, and be welcomed to eternal life!
In Jesus there is salvation for this world, which seems to enjoy living in perversion,
believing in the freedom of cruel egoism and selfishness, and thinking it a
duty to disobey the all-knowing Word of the Father. This world rejects and oppresses
the children of God, ignores them and hinders them. This happens, the Apostle
John tells us, because the world does not know the Father! We have the task
of revealing Him to them; better yet, to allow Him to be revealed through our
likeness to Him. We are like Him, only when we love! Let's, then, continue to
love though we are persecuted; even assailed by hate and animosity. Jesus, Himself,
will defend us, by coming before the wolf that is ready to devour the sheep.
He will defend us, first of all, in a way that revenge and hate will not enter
our hearts; but also, so that man's animosity will not be a temptation, for
us, to be separated from Him! If we were to get away from Him, the enemy would
win! Jesus will give us the strength to remain united with Him and to be close
to Him, in all circumstances. He is the Good Shepherd, and He wants to be that,
even for the sheep that are not yet His, but who may become His! We might say
that Jesus feels that He is, also, the shepherd of pagans, even of our enemies,
and the Muslims, as well. Only, through Him, will people of all races and culture
come to know peace in their hearts and joy their lives, as Saint Augustine confessed:
"My heart will not have peace until it rests in You"! Having met many
people who came to Jesus and welcomed Him, certainly by the grace of God, we,
too, can say that this is true. The heart of man was made for Jesus! Without
Him, man's heart will remain thirsty, hungry, disoriented, uncertain, even when
he tries to defend his distance from Him through violence. Jesus is the Good
Shepherd who, today, makes use of the poor to represent Him, and to be heard.
Let us pray to the Father that He might continue to call, and to give, the Church
holy men and women who are willing and ready to serve Him!