2.5.2004 Fourth Sunday after Easter - Year C
First Reading: Acts 13, 14, Psalm 100
Second Reading: Revelation 7, 9, 14-17 Gospel Reading: John 10, 27-30
In Acts the first missionaries, Barnabas and Paul, have been sent to Antioch.
When they arrive they speak mainly to the Jews. They were obeying the Lord,
who had asked them to privilege the people of Israel as bearers of the promises.
This people were the fulcrum, the central point around which others could unite
to share faith in Jesus and in the joy of new life. Proclamation of the death
and resurrection of the Lord was not automatically accepted by all the Jews:
there were many divisions among them. And these divisions soon became apparent
in the city of Antioch of Pisidia and then in Iconium (today a Turkish city)
where the two apostles went. When they realized what was happening and that
they were being chased away they obeyed another of our Lord's teachings and
"shook off the dust from their feet…". And so they turned to the Gentiles,
ready to sew the seed in that immense field that had not yet been entirely reached
and was waiting with desire to know of the love of the living God!
There was indeed a "great multitude from every nation, from all tribes
and peoples and tongues" that the apostle John saw in ecstasy on the day
of the Lord. And this multitude was at the disposal of God, ready to praise
"the Lamb", and had passed through the great tribulation! Their tears
were dried by God Himself and hence their joy was great and constant! This multitude
was like an immense flock and the "Lamb in the midst of the throne will
be like their shepherd". The terms shepherd and lamb bring us to the gospel
reading. Jesus used this same image which was very common in his country, to
express his love and care of us.
After calling himself the "good shepherd" or the "true"
shepherd, Jesus talks of what his sheep do. "The" good shepherd is
God Himself as expressed in Psalm 23. Jesus is the love of God who in loving
us leads us to the water of life. "The sheep hear my voice": and from
this fact he knows who they belong to. Not only the Jews are his sheep, and
not just because they are Jews, but all who hear him, who listen to him, who
obey him, who act out his Word: "I give them eternal life": the reward
for obedience is the fullness of life, the full realization of ones' selves,
inner joy and peace. Whoever has eternal life is content, satisfied, seeks nothing
else, needs nothing else. Whoever has eternal life has harmonious relationships
with others, for he/she desires their salvation, desires that everyone, even
possible enemies come to meet their Shepherd!
How does one explain something like this? One doesn't; one can only experience
it. Why do Jesus' followers change? Why do their faces change? Why do they serenely
put up with derisions and contempt, even unkind jokes and injustice and persecution
without complaint or retaliation? It is a mystery: Jesus is truly life and communicates
life to those who listen to him and love him!
Those who follow Jesus can experience the fullness of life, they are no longer
afraid because "they shall never perish". Those who follow Jesus know
that they are in the hands of the Father and they live with His love. The love
of the Father is a love that does not take offence and wishes only for the joy
and salvation of all his sons, of all the "sheep" that belong to His
Son.
Paul and Barnabas spoke first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles with great
enthusiasm and did not curse those who refused them and maltreated them. They
knew that Jesus had been denied by everyone: his relatives, the Nazarenes, the
Samaritans, the Leaders of the people and the High Priests, the soldiers and
the Leaders of the Gentiles. They were the apostles of one who was crucified,
they were announcing his death and, therefore, they not only refused a similar
fate, but were proud to share it. As did these two great missionaries, so also
"those clothed in white robes" testified to the world the richness
of life when loved by the Lord, the Son of God! Today because of their example
we are also attracted to him and wish to hear his voice more clearly, to be
able to distinguish his words and to guard them in our hearts, to become one
of his and to follow him. From their example we learn to carry our cross without
complaining and with joy and wishing to share with others the source of our
life. Being close to Jesus we become one of the flock, we become part of a big
family, we enjoy true brotherhood with the ability to love and help each other.
Seeing and loving the Shepherd today, we wish and pray that his sign remain
alive in the Church, that there will always be someone to represent him and
feed us and defend us from the dangers, keep us united and lead us to the goal
without losing the way.