Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

John 10:22-30

The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area of the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “how long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

Chapter 10 of John’s gospel is filled with imagery of sheep and shepherds. Here, Jesus compares himself to a shepherd watching over his sheep as well as the gate through which the sheep enter. John compares Jesus to a lamb being slaughtered during the crucifixion. The sheep/shepherd imagery is perhaps John’s favorite metaphor, and would have been understood by his early readers. Shepherding was a common occupation during the time of Jesus, though a lowly and undesirable one. Shepherds were typically those who had no property or obligation to family, those who turned to the itinerant life of herding sheep in the wilderness as a last resort to making a living. That Jesus would compare himself at all to one of society’s best-known outcasts is striking, but becomes even more so when in the same breath he declares “the Father and I are one.” There is something about the life of a shepherd that tells us about who Jesus is. There is something about shepherding that reveals God.

We do not do so well with shepherd imagery since we do not see many shepherds these days. What was once commonplace has become obsolete. Our unfamiliarity with the task of herding sheep makes it difficult to fully appreciate the meaning behind John’s metaphor. We tend to reduce the image of shepherds and sheep to one of pastoral tranquility. While such a connection may be appropriate and necessary for those needing to be comforted, it nevertheless overlooks the dangers and difficulties that shepherds faced.

The primary task of a shepherd was protecting the sheep. There were constant threats of predators or thieves wherever the shepherd happened to be. Jesus alludes to this reality in the first eighteen verses of chapter 10, where he speaks of both thieves and wolves. It falls to the shepherd to defend the sheep from these constant threats. In comparing himself to a shepherd and his followers to sheep, Jesus means to invoke this kind of image – the sheep living under constant threat, though blissfully ignorant most of the time, while the shepherd constantly protected and put his own life in danger for the sake of his flock. In fact, this very willingness to confront the danger and “lay down his life for his sheep” is what makes a shepherd “good” (John 10:11-14). Here again John’s Gospel tells us in no uncertain terms that Jesus’ life is in danger. It is no coincidence that the Good Shepherd chapter of John ends with Jesus nearly being stoned. Not a very tranquil image, but no one ever said that the Christian life would be tranquil. At times we fall into the trap of assuming that we Christians should somehow enjoy benefits that others do not by virtue of our belief. Jesus himself teaches us that following him means just the opposite. Our lives will be tested. When we come face to face with the evils of the world, we will be called to respond with the same love, grace, and sacrifice as our Lord Jesus did. Claimed as his sheep, Jesus wants us to be his shepherds in this world. No small task since there are countless voices competing for our time and attention, vying for our allegiance. In this day of twenty-four hour cable news, we are constantly bombarded with voices on top of other voices, one talking head after another. The media presents us with slants and spins designed to convince listeners that this or that voice is to be trusted above all others making it difficult to hear the Voice of our Shepherd above the cacophony of words. We must learn to hear His voice above all the other voices in our world and to connect with that One Voice that says, “This way! You belong here with me!”

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

John 10:11-18

"They will hear my voice." (Jn 10:16)

In today’s Gospel, Christ tells us that He is the Good Shepherd who gave his life for us. Jesus, the Good Shepherd knows his own, and they know him! He promised "they will hear my voice" He didn’t say maybe they will or I hope they will. He just said "They will." As long as we quiet the busyness and distractions in our lives and give him room to speak, we will hear him.

God knows everything about us. The good, the not so good, the things we hate to admit, and those we wish weren’t true but can’t quite bring ourselves to admit. God knows it all—and still he loves us! If we believe his promise that we can experience a deep and personal relationship with him and the Father, we will see him in a way that goes beyond what we might normally expect in any human relationship.

As we grow deeper in our faith, we can begin to feel the same feelings that move Christ’s heart. St. Paul told the believers in Corinth: "We have the mind of Christ," and he tells us the same thing today (1 Corinthians 2:16). We really can know his thoughts, because he is eager to share them with us. We really can hear him, because he created us for this kind of relationship. He has given us his own Holy Spirit to help us know his love in the deep recesses of our hearts.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

John 10:1-10

"The sheep hear his voice." (John 10:3)

 The people who first heard Jesus compare him to a shepherd.  They had some background knowledge that we are unfamiliar with. They knew that when shepherds brought their sheep in for the night, they put them into pens with other flocks. They were able to distinguish their sheep from all the others when it was time to go out to pasture again. And how was that possible? Each shepherd had a distinctive call, which only his sheep would recognize and follow.

This is a perfect metaphor for our relationship with Jesus. He is the Good Shepherd whose sheep know how to respond when he calls! Or do they? This may be an area where some of us need a bit more training. Do you believe that you have the potential of becoming so familiar with Jesus that you can quickly hear his voice from the other voices in the world? This gift of "hearing" which is every believer’s inheritance in Christ, is developed as we imitate the first Christians, who "devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers" (Acts 2:42).

Scripture and church teaching can help us recognize God’s voice. Bonding with other followers of Christ can build us up and give us a place to help us see if our ideas are on target. Personal prayer can become a conversation where we learn to hear the voice of God. And the Eucharist can become an intimate encounter with the Lord, who wants to lead us into a deeper understanding of his will for us.

Isn’t it comforting that we can hear Jesus say, "I love you"? This is our Shepherd’s distinctive call. Do you recognize his voice?

Saturday of the Third Week of Easter

Today is also the feast of Saint Matthias. Because he had been a witness to the resurrection, he was chosen by the other apostles to take the place of Judas. The Acts of the Apostles tells of how he was numbered among the twelve.

Acts 1:15-17,20-26

St. Matthias

The lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:26)

This is exactly what the apostles did in today’s first reading! They didn’t know who to pick as the next apostle. Matthias and Barsabbas were both equally qualified for the role. They both had their own set of strengths, and they both matched the requirements that Peter had set. Both were bold in preaching, and both were deeply committed to Jesus and the new church. So which one should they choose? The apostles didn’t have a long, drawn out process of discernment: They drew lots and left it up to God to decide for them.

God knows where he is leading us, and there are times when he’s the only One who knows how we’re going to get there. The last thing we want to do is over think a decision. We can get so caught up in methods of discerning God’s will and making sure that we are absolutely right that we forget to let go and let God take control. There will be times when we will simply not know what to do— but God will.

Are there any decisions you have to make today that will require you to "let go and let God"? If so, quiet your mind. Then, say a prayer of surrender, make your best decision, and ask God to direct your path. Believe that if you let go in this way, he will guide you.

Friday of the Third Week of Easter

Acts 9:1-20

"Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him,
he said,  ‘Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,

Jesus who appeared to you on the way.’" (Acts 9:17)

Saul and his friends never got tired of telling the story of his conversion. Barnabas uses it to explain why the Christians no longer need to fear this man (Acts 9:26-29). Paul tells it to those who want to arrest him (22:1-21) and to King Agrippa who met the apostle during his long imprisonment (26:1-23).

This passage is significant because it shows how deeply the resurrection of Jesus can change people’s lives. At the beginning of Chapter 9, Saul is making threats, bent on capturing these heretics and bringing them to justice. By the end, he is docile and pensive, eager to put aside his old life, join a new community, and learn all he can about the things he had been trying to eradicate. Saul is no longer a murderer but rather God’s chosen instrument.

How has Jesus’ resurrection changed you? Perhaps you were paralyzed by fear, burdened by anxieties or driven by selfish ambition until God set you free to give generously. Perhaps you couldn’t let go of a hurt until Jesus showed you the way to forgiveness. How might the Spirit of God want to change the way you see someone else? Maybe you will see the person you consider an enemy in a new light. Maybe you are another "chosen instrument" to help that person to encounter the transforming love of God.

Friday of the Third Week of Easter

Today is the anniversary of the Blessed Mother's first appearance at
Fatima, Portugal.  Let us remember the continued importance of
these approved apparitions and the
great Miracle of the Sun which was given to us at Fatima.

Thursday of the Third Week of Easter

John 6:44-51

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven;

whoever eats this bread will live forever;

and the bread that I will give is my Flesh

for the life of the world.”

To be nourished and fed by the “Bread of Life,” is to draw Jesus into yourself and to be united with him. The old adage, “You are what you eat,” becomes more true here than in any cafeteria or kitchen in the world. Eating the “Bread of Life” is transformative because as he remains in us and we in him we become more like Jesus.

We are called by Jesus to feed on the “Bread of Life” until we are truly satisfied. Abide in Jesus, and allow Jesus to abide in you. Feast on him in daily devotions and prayer. Feast on him in your heart and in every way that you possibly can. The more we feed upon him, both literally and in our hearts, the more like him we shall become.