Easter Time 04 - C - April 29, 2007
"It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you. But seeing you put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13,46). With these words Paul and Barnaba reproached the Jews of Antioch of Pisidia and were expelled out of their territory by them. These words are hard: they show us how it is serious not to listen the Word of God, not to consider the announcement and Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This indifference, or reject, means renouncing eternal life and communion with God (and all the goodness that only He can give us, from now on). The shepherd wants to guide us in good pasture, he wants to give us life and salvation: we renounce! Certainly we don't want to lack the good things mentioned in Revelation 7,16+17: "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes". The persons which are happy about the eternal consolation have suffered for their faith, they "came out of great tribulation"(7,14), but they gave all their faith in the blood of Jesus, in his sacrifice and his obedience to the Father. The faith in Jesus has strengthen them. They became able to suffer and remain faithful, as Jesus did. Already in this earthly life they took the prize: great peace and strength. In the future world they enjoy the glory of the Son of God, "the Lamb sitting on the throne".
The Lord Jesus is Lamb and Shepherd. He is the lamb that offered his life;
God has made him the shepherd that embodies all the kindness of God with mankind.
The prophets described God with the image of a shepherd "The Lord is my
shepherd" (Psalm 23,1). Ezekiel (34,14-16) says: "I will feed them
in a good pasture, and I will make them rest. I will seek the lost sheep and
bring it back to the fold. I will bind up the wounded and take care of the sick.
I will feed them with judgement". This is the job of Jesus: to serve the
Father, to get concrete his love and tenderness for us. He loves us loving the
Father. All the Christians have this job. That's why we talk about vocations:
- vocation of priesthood: to represent Jesus the Shepherd in the midst of the
communities,
- vocation of devoted life: to get concrete the love of Jesus by praying and
blessing, by welcoming the sick and the little,
- vocation to make up a Christian family: in it the real love doesn't take permission
to infidelity, neither when the husband (or the wife) is unfaithful, realizing
to be a love that reveals the love of God.
We pray today for vocations in the Church: we pray for persons who offer their
lives to God. Those will show the different "looks" of His love -
in family, in the midst of the world, or in communities. And while we are praying
we offer ourselves. We get free to live with consciousness knowing that God
has called us to be always his revelation. We look at Jesus and don't distract.
He precedes us as a faithful and safe shepherd!