APRIL 21, 2013 : FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

Fourth Sunday of Easter 
Lectionary: 51

Reading 1ACTS 13:14, 43-52

Paul and Barnabas continued on from Perga
and reached Antioch in Pisidia.
On the sabbath they entered the synagogue and took their seats.
Many Jews and worshipers who were converts to Judaism
followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them
and urged them to remain faithful to the grace of God.

On the following sabbath almost the whole city gathered
to hear the word of the Lord.
When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy
and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.
Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said,
“It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first,
but since you reject it
and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life,
we now turn to the Gentiles.
For so the Lord has commanded us,
I have made you a light to the Gentiles,
that you may be an instrument of salvation
to the ends of the earth.”

The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this
and glorified the word of the Lord.
All who were destined for eternal life came to believe,
and the word of the Lord continued to spread
through the whole region.
The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers
and the leading men of the city,
stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas,
and expelled them from their territory.
So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them,
and went to Iconium.
The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Responsorial PsalmPS 100:1-2, 3, 5

R. (3c) We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is good:
his kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2REV 7:9, 14B-17

I, John, had a vision of a great multitude,

which no one could count,

from every nation, race, people, and tongue.

They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,

wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.



Then one of the elders said to me,

“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;

they have washed their robes

and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.



“For this reason they stand before God’s throne

and worship him day and night in his temple.

The one who sits on the throne will shelter them.

They will not hunger or thirst anymore,

nor will the sun or any heat strike them.

For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne

will shepherd them

and lead them to springs of life-giving water,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

GospelJN 10:27-30

Jesus said:
“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.”

www.usccb.org

Scripture Study

April 21, 2013 Fourth Sunday of Easter

Happy Easter! Yes it is still Easter. The Church celebrates the Easter Season until Pentecost Sunday. During this time the readings focus on the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus, on the meaning of the victory of the "Risen One" and on the presence of Jesus in the community of believers. This Sunday we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Easter.

First Reading: Acts 13: 14, 43-52

14 They (Paul and Barnabas) continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath they entered (into) the synagogue and took their seats.

43 After the congregation had dispersed, many Jews and worshipers who were converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to remain faithful to the grace of God.

44 On the following Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said. 46 Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, 'I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.' " 48 The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came to believe, 49 and the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region. 50 The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory. 51 So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52 The disciples were filled with joy and the holy Spirit.

NOTES on First Reading:

The first reading this week almost echoes last week's first reading in expressing the imperative of spreading the word of God. It stresses the order in which the message is preached first to the Jews and then after their rejection of the message to the Gentiles. The last verse of the reading also echoes the end of last week's first reading in that the disciples experience great joy in the midst of rejection and persecution.

* 13:44 The text literally says that the "whole city" came which is an example of a type of exaggeration common in many Semitic and other ancient languages.

* 13:46 Although their refusal to believe frustrates God's plan for his chosen people, no final judgment is intended here concerning their ultimate destiny. Luke uses the words of Paul to speak of the priority of Israel in God's plan for salvation (see also Acts 10:36).

* 13:47 The quote is from the Septuagint (Greek) version of Isaiah 49:6. It was alluded to in 1:8.

* 13:48 This verse is an excellent representative of Lucan style. Compare the language with 2:47.

* 13:51 The gesture of shaking the dust from your feet was an indication of complete disassociation from such unbelievers.

Second Reading: Revelation 7:9, 14b-17

9 After this I (John) had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. 14 b He (One of the Elders) said to me, "These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 "For this reason they stand before God's throne and worship him day and night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will shelter them. 16 They will not hunger or thirst anymore, nor will the sun or any heat strike them. 17 For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. "

NOTES on Second Reading:

Revelation was written to encourage the believers who were undergoing intense persecution and to reassure them that Christ was victorious and that in the end they would share in His victory. The second reading reflects the fate of those who remain faithful to the Word and portrays them at God's throne after the final test.

* 7:9 The words in parentheses were added to identify the antecedent of the personal pronoun. White robes, white garments and palm branches were all common symbols of joy and victory.

* 7:14 The elder takes on the role usually filled by an"interpreting angel" which is common in apocalyptic texts. The robes represent the inner or spiritual condition of the person. The transformation from soiled (sinful) to clean or white (holy) is related to the death of Christ understood as a sacrifice (blood). The allusion is to repentance, conversion, and baptism all taken together as the transformation of the believer. The great tribulation or ordeal is the intense persecution by the Romans or the crisis at the end-time which also involves persecution. The reference to it implies that the transformation must include perseverance which might result in martyrdom.

* 7:15-17 These verses are a poetic depiction of salvation. They include being in God's presence and metaphors for the satisfaction of the various needs of the whole person.

* 7:17 Life-giving water is literally, "the water of life," and means God's grace, which flows from Christ. See Rev 21:6; 22:1,17; John 4:10,14.

Gospel Reading: John 10:27-30

27 (Jesus said:) " My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father's hand. 30 The Father and I are one. "

NOTES on Gospel:

Like the other readings today, the Gospel reading also emphasizes the need to not only hear but to follow the voice of Jesus. Faithfulness is called for so that Jesus can bestow His Life on us in ever more abundant measure.

* 10:27 Jesus continues the analogy of the shepherd which was started in verse 1. See Isa 40:11, Psalm 23:1-4 and Eze 34:15.

* 10:28 In John's gospel the term, eternal life, refers primarily to quality or type of life not to length of life.

* 10:29 The textual evidence for the first clause is very divided. Other possible translations are: "As for the Father, what he has given me is greater than all," or "My Father is greater than all, in what he has given me."

* 10:30 This statement is a justification for John 10:29 in that it asserts unity of power and reveals that the words and deeds of Jesus are the words and deeds of God. 

www.st-raymond-dublin.org

 Meditation: “My sheep shall never perish”
Do you know the peace and security of the Good Shepherd who watches over his own flock? The Old Testament often speaks of God as shepherd of his people, Israel. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (Psalm 23:1). Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! (Psalm 80:1) We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3). The Messiah is also pictured as the shepherd of God's people: He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms (Isaiah 40:11). Jesus says he is the Good Shepherd who will risk his life to seek out and save the sheep who are in danger because they have wandered from the fold (Matthew 18:12, Luke 15:4). He is the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls (1 Peter 2:25).
Jesus made three promises to his followers. He promised them everlasting life. If they accept him and follow him, they will have the life of God in them. Jesus also promised them a life that would know no end. Death would not be the end but the beginning; they would know the glory of indestructible life. Jesus promised a life that was secure. Jesus said that nothing would snatch them out of his hand, not even sorrow and death, since he is everlasting life itself. Our lives are safe in his hands. The security Jesus offers is an abiding relationship with the living God, and membership with his flock, the people of God. Jesus also promises the security of peace and protection from evil and the greatest harm that could befall us – eternal destruction. The Lord does not spare us from all trouble. In this life we will experience pain, suffering, sickness, and death. But through these the Lord will lead us to ultimate victory and safety in his everlasting home. Even in the midst of our sufferings we can find a peace and security which no one can give except God alone. We can confidently follow the Lord wherever he leads, trusting that nothing can keep us from God if we surrender our lives to him. Have you placed your life securely in God where it belongs?
 Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD), a noted theologian, bishop, and prolific writer, comments on Jesus as our Good Shepherd:

“He shows in what manner a shepherd may be proved good; and He teaches that he must be prepared to give up his life fighting in defense of his sheep, which was fulfilled in Christ. For man has departed from the love of God, and fallen into sin, and because of this was, I say, excluded from the divine abode of paradise, and when he was weakened by that disaster, he yielded to the devil tempting him to sin, and death following that sin he became the prey of fierce and ravenous wolves. But after Christ was announced as the True Shepherd of all men, He laid down his life for us (1 John 3:16), fighting for us against that pack of inhuman beasts. He bore the Cross for us, that by His own death he might destroy death. He was condemned for us, that He might deliver all of us from the sentence of punishment: the tyranny of sin being overthrown by our faith: fastening to the Cross the decree that stood against us, as it is written (Colossians 2:14). Therefore as the father of sin had as it were shut up the sheep in hell, giving them to death to feed on, as it is written in the psalms (Ps. Xlviii.16), He died for us as truly Good, and truly our Shepherd, so that the dark shadow of death driven away He might join us to the company of the blessed in heaven; and in exchange for abodes that lie far in the depths of the pit, and in the hidden places of the sea, grant us mansions in His Father’s House above. Because of this he says to us in another place: Fear not, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you a kingdom (Luke 12:32).

Do you listen attentively to the voice of the Good Shepherd and obey his word?

"Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd. In you I place all my hope and I entrust myself to you completely. Increase my confidence in your saving grace and in your abiding presence."
www.dailyscripture.net

Christ Knows His Sheep!

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Father Steven Reilly, LC John 10:27-30 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." Introductory Prayer: Lord, we continue celebrating the joy of Easter. This meditation is a privileged moment to experience this happiness. I offer you my faith and devotion. Petition: Lord, help me to realize that I am known and loved infinitely! 1. God Is Not a Watchmaker: Philosophers and scientists of the Enlightenment were enthralled with Reason. They looked at the universe and saw logic and law, and they likened God to an expert watchmaker. He had created a Rolex of a universe and was now contentedly allowing his creation to run its course. The perfect and implacable laws of physics had freed him from the cares of creation — a visit to his celestial office would reveal a vacationing God “gone fishing.” This deistic notion of God is not the God we worship. Our God is an ever-present God, intimately concerned about his children. He has not forgotten about the world. He is not far away. He became man and even when his time came to leave this world, he devised a way to remain with us. Could God get any closer than being truly present within us through the Eucharist? He shows infinite intensity in the focus of his love. Anyone who threatens the sheep of this loving God does so at his own risk: “No one can take them out of the Father’s hand!” 2. Knowing the Sheep: This loving Father has a Son who is the perfect reflection of his being: “The Father and I are one.” The Son is a shepherd whose love, like the Father’s, is intense and personal: “I know [my sheep].” Human categories don’t do the divine reality justice. The human shepherd, after all, would be hard pressed to think of his sheep as individuals. When he looks at them, he sees a flock. When he speaks about them, the same word “sheep” will work both as singular and plural. But Jesus is the Shepherd unlike any human shepherd, just as his Father is the Creator unlike any human watchmaker. For Jesus, each sheep is an individual, loved with a unique love. When you come to Christ, you don’t need to wear a nametag. He knows your name! 3. Doing Our Part: If Jesus is the Shepherd unlike any human shepherd, we should be sheep unlike any typical wool-covered mammals. Their ardor for the next tuft of grass is such that the voice of the shepherd hardly suffices to keep them in the flock. Barking dogs are an essential element to good flock maintenance. But Christ’s sheep don’t need that kind of coercion. In prayer we “hear [his] voice.” May we never tire of belonging to the blessed flock of Christ! May we always listen and heed his voice. Conversation with Christ: Lord, you are my Shepherd. With you, there is nothing I shall want. I will always keep my eyes fixed on your rod and staff. My courage will never falter if you are at my side. Resolution: I will show spiritual leadership in my family today.

www.regnumchristi.org

SUNDAY, APRIL 21
FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

JOHN 10:27-30
FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
(Acts 13:14, 43-52; Psalm 100; Revelation 7:9, 14b-17)
KEY VERSE: "My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me" (v 27).
READING: This theme of God as the shepherd of Israel is found throughout scripture (e.g., Genesis 48:15; Psalm 23, 28:9, 80:2; Hosea 4:16). The king must also be a good shepherd of the people (See Isaiah 44:28 and Jeremiah 2:8,10:21). In John 10 Jesus declared himself to be the "good shepherd" (v 11; see also Matthew 26:31 and Hebrews 13:20),an image evoking Ezekiel's portrayal of God as the shepherd of Israel (Ez 34). Jesus was confronted by those who demanded to know if he equated himself with the Messiah of God. Jesus told them that they did not acknowledge the works that he did as coming from God because they did not belong to his flock. Those who belonged to Jesus heard his voice and followed him. Jesus is a good shepherd who keeps careful watch over his flock; they shall never perish because he gave them eternal life. The Father gave these faithful ones to Jesus as a precious gift. No one can snatch them from his hand because he and the Father are one. 
REFLECTING: Do I help care for Christ's flock or scatter it through my words and actions?
PRAYING: Risen Lord, keep me safe in your fold.

NOTE: The Fourth Sunday of Easter is referred to as Good Shepherd Sunday. In John 21:15-18, Jesus makes Peter the chief shepherd of the flock. This day was designated in 1964 as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life. Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, invited all the faithful to �cultivate an intimate relationship with Christ, Master and Pastor of His people, imitating Mary who guarded the divine mysteries in her heart and contemplated them assiduously." The Church's sanctity depends essentially on her union with Christ and her openness to the mystery of grace at work in the hearts of all  members of his flock.

www.daily-word-of-life.com
We are his people, the sheep of his flock

Make a joyful noise to the Lord all the lands.
Even after their initial violent rejection from Antioch, Paul and Barnabas returned again until they had fulfilled the work that God had given them - to take the message of salvation to the Gentiles. In spite of their persecution, the disciples were ‘filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.’

Revelation speaks to us of the glory of God and the power of God’s kingdom. In this Year of Grace we too can be transformed by our acceptance of his ‘guidance to springs of living water’, as were the apostles. Each night it is good to review our day, seeking the signs of grace we have been given by his loving presence and our graciousness towards others we have encountered. So we too become the source of grace to many who are in need of a lifting of their spirits. This prayer will help us take our place with grateful hearts in the joyful chorus of praise throughout the world and in heaven.
www.churchresources.info
pril 21
St. Anselm
(1033-1109)

Indifferent toward religion as a young man, Anselm became one of the Church's greatest theologians and leaders. He received the title "Father of Scholasticism" for his attempt to analyze and illumine the truths of faith through the aid of reason.

At 15, Anselm wanted to enter a monastery, but was refused acceptance because of his father's opposition. Twelve years later, after careless disinterest in religion and years of worldly living, he finally fulfilled his desire to be a monk. He entered the monastery of Bec in Normandy, three years later was elected prior and 15 years later was unanimously chosen abbot.
Considered an original and independent thinker, Anselm was admired for his patience, gentleness and teaching skill. Under his leadership, the abbey of Bec became a monastic school, influential in philosophical and theological studies.
During these years, at the community's request, Anselm began publishing his theological works, comparable to those of St. Augustine (August 28). His best-known work is the book Cur Deus Homo ("Why God Became Man").
At 60, against his will, Anselm was appointed archbishop of Canterbury in 1093. His appointment was opposed at first by England's King William Rufus and later accepted. Rufus persistently refused to cooperate with efforts to reform the Church.
Anselm finally went into voluntary exile until Rufus died in 1100. He was then recalled to England by Rufus's brother and successor, Henry I. Disagreeing fearlessly with Henry over the king's insistence on investing England's bishops, Anselm spent another three years in exile in Rome.
His care and concern extended to the very poorest people; he opposed the slave trade. Anselm obtained from the national council at Westminster the passage of a resolution prohibiting the sale of human beings.

Comment:

Anselm, like every true follower of Christ, had to carry his cross, especially in the form of opposition and conflict with those in political control. Though personally a mild and gentle man and a lover of peace, he would not back off from conflict and persecution when principles were at stake.

Quote:

"No one will have any other desire in heaven than what God wills; and the desire of one will be the desire of all; and the desire of all and of each one will also be the desire of God" (St. Anselm, Letter 112).

www.americancatholic.org

LECTIO: 4TH SUNDAY OF EASTER (C)

Lectio: 

 Sunday, April 21, 2013  

Jesus the Good Shepherd: 
his sheep know him
John 10,27-3

1. LECTIO

a) Opening prayer:

Come, Holy Spirit, to our hearts and kindle in them the fire of your love, give us the grace to read and re-read this page of the Gospel, to actively, lovingly and operatively remember it in our life. We wish to get close to the mystery of the Person of Jesus contained in this image of the Shepherd. For this, we humbly ask you to open the eyes of our mind and heart in order to be able to know the power of your Resurrection. Enlighten our mind, oh Spirit of light, so that we may understand the words of Jesus, the Good Shepherd; warm up our heart so as to be aware that these words are not far from us, that they are the key of our present experience. Come, oh Holy Spirit, because without you the Gospel will be dead letter; with you the Gospel is the Spirit of Life. Give us, oh Father, the Holy Spirit; we ask this together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother and with Elias, your prophet in the name of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!

b) Reading of the text:

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one."

c) Moments of prayerful silence:

Silence protects the fire of the word which has entered in us through the listening of the Word. It helps to preserve the interior fire of God. Stop for a few moments in the silence, listening to be able to participate in the creative and re-creative power of the divine Word.

2. MEDITATIO

a) Key to the reading:

The passage of the Liturgy of this Sunday is taken from chapter 10 of St. John, a discourse of Jesus during the Jewish Feast of the dedication of the Temple of Jerusalem which was celebrated at the end of December (during which the re-consecration of the Temple, which had been violated by the Syrian-Hellenists, was commemorated, the work of Judas Maccabee in 164 B.C.). The word of Jesus concerning the relation between the Shepherd (Christ) and the sheep (the Church) belongs to a true and proper debate between Jesus and the Jews. They ask Jesus a clear question and demand a response, just as concrete and public: “If you are the Christ, tell us the plain truth” (10,24). John, other times in the Gospel presents the Jews who intend to get a clear affirmation from Jesus concerning his identity (2,18; 5,16; 8,25). In the Synoptics a similar question is presented during the process before the Chief Priests (Mt 26,63; Mk 14,61; Lk 22,67). Jesus’ answer is presented in two stages (vv. 25-31 and 32-39). Let us consider briefly the context of the first stage where our liturgical text is inserted. The Jews have not understood the parable of the Shepherd (Jn 10,1-21) and now they ask Jesus a clearer revelation of his identity. In itself, the reason for their unbelief is not to be sought in the lack of clarity but in their refusal to belong to his flock, to his sheep. An analogous expression of Jesus may throw light on this as we read in Mk 4,11: “To you I have made known the mystery of the Kingdom of God, but the others who are on the outside, hear all things by means of parables”. The words of Jesus are light only for those who live within the community, for those who decide to remain outside these words are an enigma which disconcerts. To the unbelief of the Jews, Jesus opposes the behaviour of those who belong to him and whom the Father has given to him; and also the relationship with them.

Jesus’ language is not immediately evident for us; rather in comparing the believers to a flock leaves us perplexed. We are not, at all, strangers to the life of farmers and shepherds, and it is not easy to understand what the flock would represent for a people who are shepherds. The audience to whom Jesus addresses the parable, on the other hand, were precisely shepherds. It is evident that the parable is understood from the point of view of the man who shares almost everything with his flock. He knows his sheep: he sees the quality of each one and every defect; the sheep also experience his guidance: they respond to his voice and to his indications.

i) The sheep of Jesus listen to his voice: it is a question not only of an external listening (3,5; 5,37) but also of an attentive listening (5,28; 10,3) up to an obedient listening (10,16.27; 18,37; 5,25). In the discourse of the shepherd this listening expresses the trust and the union that the sheep have with the shepherd (10,4). The adjective “my, mine” does not only indicate the simple possession of the sheep, but makes evident that the sheep belong to him, and they belong in so far as he is the owner (10,12).

ii) Here, then, is established an intimate communication between Jesus and the sheep: “and I know them” (10,27). It is not a question of intellectual knowledge; in the Biblical sense “to know someone” means, above all, to have a personal relation with him, to live in some way in communion with him. A knowledge which does not exclude the human features of sympathy, love, communion of nature.

iii) In virtue of this knowledge of love the shepherd invites his own to follow him. The listening to the Shepherd involves also a discernment, because among the many different possible voices, the sheep choose that which corresponds to a concrete Person (Jesus). Following this discernment, the response is active, personal and becomes obedience. This results from the listening. Therefore, between the listening and following the Shepherd is the knowledge of Jesus.

The knowledge which the sheep have of Jesus opens an itinerary which leads to love: “I give them eternal life”. For the Evangelist, life is the gift of communion with God. While in the Synoptics ‘life’ or ‘eternal life’ is related to the future; in John’s Gospel it indicates an actual possession. This aspect is frequently repeated in John’s narration: “He who believes in the Son possesses eternal life” (3,36); “I am telling you the truth: whoever hears my words and believes in him who sent me has eternal life” (5,24; 6,47).

The relation of love of Jesus becomes concrete also by the experience of protection which man experiences: it is said that the sheep “will never be lost”. Perhaps, this is a reference to eternal damnation. And it is added that “no one will snatch them”. These expressions suggest the role of the hand of God and of Christ who prevent the hearts of persons to be snatched by other negative forces. In the Bible the hand, in some contexts, is a metaphor which indicates the force of God who protects (Deut 33,3: Ps 31,6). In others, the verb “to snatch” (harpázö) suggests the idea that the community of disciples will not be exempt from the attacks of evil and of temptations. But the expression “no one will snatch them” indicates that the presence of Christ assures the community of the certainty of an unflinching stability which allows them to overcome every temptation of fear.

b) Some questions:

To orientate the meditative reflection and the updating:

i) The first attitude which the Word of Jesus makes evident is that man has “to listen”. This verb in Biblical language is rich and relevant: it implies joyous adherence to the content of what is listened to, obedience to the person who speaks, the choice of life of the one who addresses us. Are you a man immersed in listening to God? Are there spaces and moments in your daily life which you dedicate, in a particular way, to listening to the Word of God?

ii) The dialogue or intimate and profound communication between Christ and you has been defined by the Gospel in today’s Liturgy by a great Biblical verb, “to know” This involves the whole being of man: the mind, the heart, the will. Is your consciousness of Christ firm at a theoretical-abstract level or do you allow yourself to be transformed and guided by his voice on the journey of your life?

iii) The man who has listened and known God “follows” Christ as the only guide of his life. Is your following daily, continuous? Even when in the horizon one foresees the threat or nightmare of other voices or ideologies which try to snatch us from communion with God?

iv) In the meditation of today’s Gospel two other verbs emerged: we will never be “lost, damned” and nobody will be able to “snatch” us from the presence of Christ who protects our life. This is the foundation and motivation of our daily assurance. This idea is expressed in such a luminous way by Paul: “For I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future, neither the world above nor the world below – there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus, our Lord” (Rm 8,38-39). When between the believer and the Person of Jesus is established a relation made by calls and listening, then life proceeds assured to attain spiritual maturity and success. The true foundation of this assurance lies in discovering every day the divine identity of this Shepherd who is the assurance of our life. Do you experience this security and this serenity when you feel threatened by evil?

v) The words of Jesus “I give them eternal life” assure you that the end of your journey as believer, is not dark and uncertain. For you, does eternal life refer to the number of years that you can live or instead does it recall your communion of life with God himself? Is the experience of the company of God in your life a reason for joy?

3. ORATIO

a) Psalm 100, 2; 3; 5

Serve the Lord with gladness! 
Come into his presence with singing! 
Know that the Lord is God! 
It is he that made us, and we are his; 
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 
For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures for ever, 
and his faithfulness to all generations.

b) Final Prayer:

Lord, we ask you to manifest yourself to each one of us as the Good Shepherd, who by the force of the Paschal Mystery reconstitutes, animates your own, with your delicate presence, with all the force of your Spirit. We ask you to open our eyes, so as to be able to know how you guide us, support our will to follow you any place where you want to lead us. Grant us the grace of not being snatched from your hands of Good Shepherd and of not being in the power of evil which threatens us, from the divisions which hide or lurk within our heart. You, oh Christ, be the Shepherd, our guide, our example, our comfort, our brother. Amen!

4. CONTEMPLATIO

Contemplate the Word of the Good Shepherd in your life. The preceding stages of the Lectio Divina, important in themselves, become practical, if orientated to lived experience. The path of the “Lectio” cannot be considered ended if it does not succeed to make of the Word a school of life for you. Such a goal is attained when you experience in you the fruits of the Spirit. These are: interior peace which flourishes in joy and in the relish for the Word; the capacity to discern between that which is essential and work of God and that which is futile and work of the evil; the courage of the choice and of the concrete action, according to the values of the Biblical page that you have read and meditated on.

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Church at the Shepherds' Fields. Photo  upyernoz.