Fourth Sunday of Easter
Lectionary: 49
Lectionary: 49
Then Peter stood up
with the Eleven,
raised his voice, and proclaimed:
“Let the whole house of Israel know for certain
that God has made both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,
and they asked Peter and the other apostles,
“What are we to do, my brothers?”
Peter said to them,
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call.”
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them,
“Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand persons were added that day.
raised his voice, and proclaimed:
“Let the whole house of Israel know for certain
that God has made both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,
and they asked Peter and the other apostles,
“What are we to do, my brothers?”
Peter said to them,
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call.”
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them,
“Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand persons were added that day.
Responsorial Psalm PS 23:1-2A, 3B-4, 5, 6
R/ (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Reading 2 1 PT 2:20B-25
Beloved:
If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good,
this is a grace before God.
For to this you have been called,
because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.
He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.
When he was insulted, he returned no insult;
when he suffered, he did not threaten;
instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly.
He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross,
so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness.
By his wounds you have been healed.
For you had gone astray like sheep,
but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good,
this is a grace before God.
For to this you have been called,
because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.
He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.
When he was insulted, he returned no insult;
when he suffered, he did not threaten;
instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly.
He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross,
so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness.
By his wounds you have been healed.
For you had gone astray like sheep,
but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
Gospel JN 10:1-10
Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
Scripture Study
May 11, 2014 - 4th Sunday of Easter
FIRST READING: Acts 2:14; 36-41. On the day of Pentecost, Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed the crowd, "Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him." And he testified with many other words and exhorted them saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation." So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
EXPLANATION.On the events of the first Pentecost Sunday see the First Readings of the Second and Third Sundays of Easter.
Peter . . . Christ: Peter is already the recognized leader and speaks for the Apostles.
God . . . Christ: He fearlessly tells all Jews---"all the house of Israel"---that the man "Jesus whom they crucified," was proved to be both the Messiah (Christ) and God, by God the Father raising him from the dead.
they were . . . heart: Many, (not all) of those present felt responsible for the condemnation of Jesus. They accept Peter's declaration that Jesus was the promised Messiah and more. They feel guilty and ask:
Brethren . . . we do?: What shall we do? How can they get pardon for their crime?
Repent . . . baptized: Peter tells them, repent and be baptized. They must have a change of heart and a change of allegiance. They must become followers of Jesus, members of the society he had founded to carry on his work. This they could do by being baptized "in his name," that is, dedicated to his service. If they do this their sins will be forgiven them and they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, just as the Apostles had received him that very day.
promise . . . children: They were the race God had chosen, through whom the blessing of the Incarnation would come to all men. It was therefore offered to them first.
to all . . . calls: But the Incarnation was not for the Jews only, but for the Gentiles also---"those that are afar off." God planned the Incarnation and its effects for all men. If all men do not respond, the fault is not God's.
from this . . . generation: Peter continues to exhort them to change their hearts and accept Christ as their Messiah and Savior and thus save themselves. The "crooked generation" were the present leaders of the Jews, who were determined to continue in their hatred of and opposition to Christ and his message---his gospel.
about three thousand: This was a great number of converts, which proves the power of the Holy Spirit was active among them. Many of the converts would have been pilgrim Jews who had come from foreign lands for the feast of Pentecost (see 2: 5-10) and who would be less prejudiced than the upper classes in Jerusalem.
APPLICATION: One of the many proofs of the truth of our Christian religion, is the rapidity with which it spread from Jerusalem over the then known world. Within a generation, before the last of the Apostles died, there was scarcely a town or city in the Middle East, in North Africa, in Asia Minor, Greece and the southern parts of the Roman empire, including its capital Rome, in which the faith of Christ had not a foothold and center. There is no human explanation for this historical fact. Its explanation is from above, and the brief summary of what happened in Jerusalem on that first Pentecost day, read to us today, is proof of this divine intervention.
The change wrought in the Apostles by the descent of the Holy Spirit, as witnessed by St. Peter's fearless accusation of the leaders of the Jews, the effect of Peter's brief exposition of the essence of the Christian faith, as was proved by the conversion of three thousand Jews and the gift of foreign languages given to Galilean fishermen---these things demand more than a natural cause. If an innovator offers men a life of freedom of pleasure, of plenty without any effort on the part of his followers, he would attract most, if not all, men and women. But Christ demanded that his followers should carry their cross daily, should mortify their senses, should forgive their enemies, should share the little they had with more needy fellowmen---all in all a life which had no attraction for an earthly man. But in return he promised them a future, unending life which would satisfy every rational desire of the human heart. And he proved by his resurrection that he was able to fulfill this promise, because he was the Son of God who had come on earth for this very purpose---namely, to give mankind a share in the eternal kingdom of his Father.
The first Christians so appreciated this eternal reward that the duties and obligations of the Christian faith seemed nothing to them in comparison. They looked forward anxiously to the end of their exile on this earth so that they could be citizens of their heavenly home. Those of them who suffered martyrdom for their faith went gladly to their death, for they were, delighted to be a little more like to their divine Master who had won for them their future everlasting happiness.
How does our faith compare with theirs? Do we really appreciate what Christ's life, death and resurrection have won for us? Do we think often and seriously on our future life? Do we make its attainment the true goal and purpose of our exile here below? An honest answer to these questions today will make us take a second look at ourselves, and on our reaction our eternal future may depend.
SECOND READING: 1 Peter 2:20-25. If when you do right and suffer for it you take it patiently, you have God's approval. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin; no guile was found on his lips. When he was reviled, he did not revile in turn, when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he trusted to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
EXPLANATION: On this first Epistle of St. Peter see the Second Reading for the Second Sunday of Easter. In these verses today, St. Peter is giving advice to Christians who were slaves. He tells them to be submissive to their masters with all respect.
if you . . . for it: In the first half of this verse he says: " What credit is it, if when you do wrong and are beaten for it you take it patiently?"---in other words, you should take what you deserve. But to take punishment for an offense not committed---this was Christian patience.
you have . . . approval: God will reward such an act.
to this . . . called: The Christian vocation, the call to follow Christ, is a call to bear the daily crosses patiently.
Christ . . . you: In Christ every Christian has his model. He suffered for us, not for any fault of his own, not for any gain for himself.
He . . . no sin: The innocent servant of Yahweh, as described by the second-Isaiah, five hundred years earlier, had to bear injuries, insults and bodily sufferings. What a perfect model he was for a suffering slave of that day. "He was (to be) led like a lamb to the slaughter and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, he opened not his mouth" (Is. 53: 9). St. Peter sees Christ fulfilling to the letter the role of the suffering servant as Isaiah had described the future Messiah.
trusted . . . justly: Christ had full confidence in his Father's decisions. He left himself entirely in his hands.
love . . . tree: Isaiah had said of him: "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities . . . and with his stripes we are healed" (Is. 53:5). It was because of the sins of mankind, and especially because of the spite and hatred of the leaders of the Jews at the time, that Christ was put to death by crucifixion. If the primary purpose of the Incarnation was to make us men adopted sons of God and heirs to heaven, the atonement for the world's sins, which only Christ could make, had to be made to God before man could be worthy of this, his eternal inheritance.
that . . . to sin: The death of Christ on the cross obtains pardon for all the sins of mankind provided man asks for that pardon. All Christians in their baptism have symbolically died with Christ, died to sin, and have begun to live the new life of sons of God, living in righteousness.
you were . . . sheep: Before their conversion they were like lost sheep (another reference to Is. 53: 6), not knowing whence they had come nor whither they were going.
Shepherd . . . souls: Now that they have become Christians their lives, in this world and the next, are under the leadership and protection of the Good Shepherd, a term Christ had used for himself (Jn.10: 11, see 10: 1-17).
APPLICATION: Although the words we have read were addressed by St. Peter to slaves who had become Christians, they have a lesson today for each one of as. Even if we are living in what we may proudly claim to be a "free country" (and not, as millions of our fellowman are, under a despotic rule which makes their lives in many respects worse by far than that of the slaves in the Roman empire), we too have many things and persons who interfere justly or unjustly with what we claim as our God-given rights. Day after day, we are called on to exercise the great Christian virtue of patience.
To begin with the home, there is often need for the exercise of patience, sometimes to a heroic degree, in our family life. There are nagging wives, suspicious, ill-tempered husbands, disloyal and disobedient children, days of hostile silence or cold-war treatment, cutting and untrue remarks, provocative behavior, false accusations---the list, alas, could go on.
Outside the home, in our dealings with local and state authorities and with our neighbors in general, how many times each week, if not each day, are we not called on to practice Christian patience, recommended by St. Peter to the slaves of his day! For the fact is that free though we may claim to be, our freedom is very limited by the necessity of living in the society of our fellowman. Even outside the iron and bamboo curtain countries, we all have to live under some form of slavery, benevolent and necessary though it be.
Every man of sense will have to admit that restrictions on his personal liberty and his freedom to do as he pleases, must, be accepted if be is to live in peace in the society of others. Where these restrictions are unjust and malicious and we have no legal, peaceful redress, we must practice Christian patience and prayer. St. Peter reminds us of the noble example of innocent suffering given us by our Lord and leader, Christ himself. Our sacrifice will rarely go to that extreme, but even if it should, and it is in the cause of justice, we should be proud to be found worthy, to imitate our Divine Master.
We must always be ready, too, to help by word and by deed, a fellowman who is struggling to bear injustices with Christian patience. Today, more than ever before, people are taking a true Christian interest in the sufferings of their fellowman, wherever they may be. This noble effort is worthy of the assistance and cooperation of every Christian, indeed of every man who claims to be human.
If every Christian family became actively interested in helping a more needy family, at home or abroad, there would be less time for family squabbles and dissensions; their united interest in Christian well-doing would make each one more Christian and more united. If employers and employees, in the relatively prosperous cities and countries, united in a Christian endeavor to help find food and employment for the starving millions in other less fortunate lands, there would be less time for unnecessary local or national disruption of production, which only produces waste and want for themselves and thousands of others.
True Christian charity, which is the mother of patience, need not necessarily begin at home, but its fruits will return a hundredfold to the home and to the society which practices it. If we be true followers of our Good Shepherd, we will help him to feed all his hungry sheep on this earth and in as far as in us lies, we will, by word and example, help to lead them eventually to the eternal pastures he has prepared for them.
GOSPEL: John 10: 1-10. Jesus said: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gate-keeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."
EXPLANATION: These ten verses are spoken to the Pharisees and are a continuation of the preceding incident---the curing of the man born blind. The Pharisees, who claimed to be the leaders and the judges of God's people, had tried their best to deny the miracle, then defamed the miracle-worker, Jesus, and cast out the man who had been healed. Jesus tells the Pharisees openly that they are blind leaders and that this blindness is a guilty one (unlike the cured man), having been brought on by their own pride. He now goes on in chapter 10 to say that they are not true shepherds of Israel---they are thieves and mercenaries who steal and kill. He himself is the true Shepherd, who has come to give life and abundant (real) life.
Truly . . . to you: A phrase frequent in John, which signifies an emphatic repetition of something already stated. Jesus has just told the Pharisees that they are blind leaders.
climbs . . . way: The Man who enters the sheepfold stealthily is a thief and a robber, not the shepherd.
He . . . door: He is the real shepherd of the sheep.
the gate-keeper opens: He is known and willingly admitted.
calls . . . out: He has a name for each of them; they know his voice, therefore, they come to him.
the sheep follow him: The sheep follow him, instead of driving them he leads the way and they follow him. This is a sight still to be seen today in Palestine---the shepherd going on ahead and his sheep following in a group behind him.
a stranger . . . follow: They have a natural trust in their own shepherd, and a natural fear of a stranger.
This . . . used: Jesus used this simile of the true shepherd and his flock to drive home his condemnation of the, Pharisees, but they did not understand it. They could not see themselves as false shepherds.
I am . . . sheepfold: He now changes the simile somewhat. He, Jesus, is the door through which all his flock will enter the true sheepfold.
all who . . . robbers: This does not include all the leaders of the Jews in the ages gone by, but the present ones who are thieves and robbers. They are looking, not for the true welfare of their people, but rather for their own material and political gain.
but . . . heed them: The vast majority of the ordinary people---the poor and the sinners (in the eyes of the Pharisees)---did not belong to their party. Christ's followers during his public life were among the latter, and after the resurrection and the descent of the Holy Spirit they became Christians in the thousands.
If any . . . by me: Whosoever enters through Christ by baptism into the true sheepfold, will be saved. He will be on the way to eternal life.
the thief . . . destroy: The Pharisees fulfilled this to the letter when they thought they could kill and destroy the messianic kingdom forever by putting Christ to death.
have life . . . abundantly: The purpose of the Incarnation, the reason why God the Son became man, was that all men could become heirs to heaven and possess eternal life, life abundantly without limit.
APPLICATION: One of the oldest paintings of Christ, in the Roman catacombs, represents Christ as carrying the injured, straying sheep gently on his shoulders back to the sheepfold. This is an image of Christ which has always appealed to Christians. We have Christ as our shepherd---he tells us so himself in today's gospel---and we do not resent being called sheep in this context. There is something innocent about a sheep, and at the same time a lot of foolishness! But with Christ as our shepherd and the "good shepherd" who is sincerely interested in the true welfare of his flock we have reason to rejoice.
The leaders of the Jews, the Pharisees and Sadducees, were false shepherds who tried to prevent the people from following Jesus, but they failed. They then killed the shepherd but in vain. He rose from the dead and his flock increased by the thousands and will keep on increasing until time ends.
We surely are fortunate to belong to the sheepfold of Christ---his Church. We surely are blessed to have the Son of God as our Shepherd, who came among us in order to lead us to heaven. Do we fully appreciate our privileged position? Do we always live up to our heavenly vocation? We know his voice, we know what he asks of us, but do we always listen to that voice, do we always do what he asks of us?
There are many among us today who foolishly think they need no shepherd. They think they know all the facts of life while they are in total ignorance of the most basic fact of all, namely, the very purpose of life. Not that the thought of it does not arise disturbingly before their minds time and time again. But they try to smother that thought and ease their consciences by immersing themselves deeper and deeper in the affairs and the passing pleasures of this temporary life. Alas for them, a day of reckoning lies ahead, a day that is much nearer than they would like to believe. What will be their fate when they meet Christ the Judge, whom they had refused to follow and acknowledge during their days on earth?
This is a misfortune that could happen to any one of us, unless we think often of our purpose and our end in life. We have a few short years, but short though they be, we can earn for ourselves an eternity of happiness during this life. Let the straying sheep boast of their false freedom and of the passing joys they may get in this life---this freedom and these joys are mixed with much sorrow, and will end very soon. We know that if we follow the shepherd of our souls, we are on the way to the true life, the perfect life, the unending life which will have no admixture of sorrow, regret or pain. Where, Christ is, there perfect happiness is, and there with God's grace we hope and trust to be.-a168
Meditation: "I came that they may have life
abundantly"
Do you know the peace and security of the Good Shepherd who
watches over his own? 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 stray sheep
(Matthew 18:12, Luke 15:4). He is the Shepherd and Guardian of our
souls (1 Peter 2:25).
What can shepherding teach us about God and our relationship
with him? At the end of each day the shepherd brought his sheep into shelter.
They knew the voice of their shepherd and came at his beckoning. So familiar
was the shepherd and his sheep, that each was called by a distinct name. In the
winter the sheep were usually brought to a communal village shelter which was
locked and kept secure by a guardian. In the summer months the sheep were
usually kept out in the fields and then gathered into a fold at night which was
guarded by a shepherd throughout the night. He was literally the door through
which the sheep had to pass.
The Scriptures describe God as a shepherd who brings security
and peace to his people. The Lord will keep your going out and your
coming in from this time forth and for evermore (Psalm 120:8).Even the
leaders of God's people are called shepherds: they shall lead them out
and bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep which
have no shepherd (Numbers 27:17). Just as a shepherd kept watch over
his sheep and protected them from danger, so Jesus stands watch over his people
as the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls (1 Peter 2:25). Do
you know the peace and security of a life fully submitted to God?
St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) writes: "He has
accomplished what he taught us: He has shown us what He commanded us to do. He
laid down his own life for his sheep, that within our mystery he might change
his body and blood into food, and nourish the sheep he had redeemed with the
food of his own flesh. He has shown us the way we must follow, despite fear of
death. He has laid down the pattern to which we must conform ourselves. The
first duty laid on us is to use our worldly goods in mercy for the needs of his
sheep, and then, if necessary, give even our lives for them. He that will not
give of his substance for his sheep, how shall he lay down his life for
them?" (Tr. 46 in John). Do you look to Jesus the Good Shepherd,
to receive the strength and courage you need to live and serve as his disciple?
"Lord Jesus, you always lead me in the way of true
peace and safety. May I never doubt your care nor stray from your ways. Keep me
safe in the shelter of your presence."
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Fourth Sunday of
Easter
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LC
John 10:1-10
"Very truly, I tell you, anyone who
does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a
thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the
sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice.
He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out
all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they
know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him
because they do not know the voice of strangers." Jesus used this figure
of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for
the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did
not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and
will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and
kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you so much for your
generosity and patience in being with me today. My only desire is to please
you. My heart longs to be flooded with your grace so that I may fully
accomplish your will in my life.
Petition:Lord Jesus, help me to know and love you.
1. Christ Knows Me: “He calls his own sheep by name and leads
them out” (John 10:3). For the Jewish people, to call someone by his name was
to touch his deepest identity, his inner core. For them, a name reflected who
you were; your meaning as a person. Although, as human beings, we are the
fruit of our parent’s love, our soul was made and shaped directly by God.
Christ made our souls! Christ knows our innermost selves. He knows not only
our names, but he knows our thoughts, feelings, dreams and fears, and even
our deepest desires. This fact should be a source of great peace and
confidence in my prayer -- Christ does truly know what is going on in my
heart. But this knowledge is not all. Christ also loves me.
2. Christ Loves Me: Through his Incarnation, Christ
emptied himself of his heavenly glory for me! What would life be like
without the Mass, without the Eucharist, without confession, without the
Gospel (where we discover the path to follow), without the Church and the
teachings of the Magisterium? But there was a price, a terrible and costly
price for all of these benefits. Christ was asked to pour out his blood on
the cross for love of me. And now, Christ turns to each one of us without
exception and asks us to do the same. He asks us to be witnesses of his love
in a world of darkness and despair.
3. Christ Offers Me Life in Abundance: By accepting Christ as my Good Shepherd I’m guaranteed to ‘find pasture.’ For a sheep this means sufficient food, safety from predators and peaceful relationships with other sheep. Jesus promises life in abundance for those who accept him. Obviously this ‘life in abundance’ doesn’t mean material wealth and success. The food, safety and peace that he promises are spiritual but no less real. Do I value what he values? Do I truly hunger for spiritual food? Or do I hanker after superficial and vain matters that could never satisfy my soul? The joy Our Lord wishes to pour into my heart can be received only if I permit my heart to be detached and emptied of whatever keeps me from him. Jesus warns us that we cannot serve two masters.
Conversation with Christ: Thank you Christ for reminding me of your
great love and my vocation to imitate your love. Help me not to get in your
way. Help me not to be afraid of a life of generous service and
self-giving to all the souls that you have entrusted to me.
Resolution: I will make some concrete commitment to
increase both the quality and quantity of my Eucharistic life.
|
FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER,
MAY 11, JOHN 10:1-30
(Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2:20b-25)
(Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2:20b-25)
KEY VERSE: "I came that they might have life and have it to the full" (v 10).
READING: The figure of God as a shepherd who guides and protects the flock was taken from Israel's pastoral life. Sheep that belonged to various shepherds were brought together in a sheepfold at night. At daybreak, the watchman would open the gate. The shepherd knew his own sheep and he would call each one by name as he led them out of the sheepfold. The sheep recognized the shepherd's voice and would follow no one else. The shepherd would walk ahead of his flock as they followed him to a place where they would be safe from thieves who might come to "steal and slaughter and destroy" (v 10). Jesus is the "gate for the sheep" (v 7). Those who enter through him will be saved.
REFLECTING: Do I pray for my Pastor who shepherds God's people?
PRAYING: Risen Lord, help me to follow you as you guide me day by day.
NOTE: Good Shepherd Sunday
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. Pope Benedict XVI calls for everyone to pray for vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life. His Holiness would like to invite 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 believers.
MOTHER'S DAY
During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday" on the 4th Sunday of Lent. In the United States Mother's Day was first suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe (Author of the Battle Hymn of the Republic) as a day dedicated to peace. Mother's Day for peace was celebrated for a number of years, but Howe died without gaining formal recognition for her vision of peace on Mother's Day. In 1907 Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, inspired by her own mother in caring for soldiers and their families during the Civil War, was successful in her campaign for a national day of recognition for all mothers to be celebrated on the second anniversary of her mother's death, the 2nd Sunday of May. By 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May. Many countries celebrate Mother's Day at different times throughout the year.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Burning Love
Lord Jesus Christ, place a burning love for you in our hearts. Let
that express itself in a Holy Spirit-enflamed passion that yields service to
people’s spiritual and bodily needs.
What return can I make to the Lord for all that he gives to me?
Lord, your words are spirit and life.Like St Peter, Lord, we are graced with the certainty that you give meaning, direction and holiness to every detail of our lives. To accept your words is to believe in you as Son of God and Saviour and to follow your example. It is to be moved by your Spirit and to share in your life; and your life is eternal life. You ask us to be like Tabitha who reflected your life in her own, ‘never tiring of doing good’. Your recalling her to life for a time is the symbol of a greater wonder. By your resurrection, you have made death the gateway to the fullness of the life you already share with us. ‘For those who believe in you’, we pray in the Requiem Mass, ‘life is changed not ended. When our body lies in death, we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.’
May
11
St. Ignatius of Laconi
(1701-1781)
St. Ignatius of Laconi
(1701-1781)
Ignatius is another sainted begging brother.
He was
the second of seven children of peasant parents in Sardinia. His path to the
Franciscans was unusual. During a serious illness, Ignatius vowed to become a
Capuchin if he recovered. He regained his health but ignored the promise. A
riding accident prompted him to renew the pledge, which he acted on the second
time; he was 20 then. Ignatius’s reputation for self-denial and charity led to
his appointment as the official beggar for the friars in Cagliari. He fulfilled
that task for 40 years; he was blind the last two years.
While on
his rounds, Ignatius would instruct the children, visit the sick and urge sinners
to repent. The people of Cagliari were inspired by his kindness and his
faithfulness to his work. He was canonized in 1951.
Comment:
Why did the people of Cagliari support the friars? These followers of Francis worked hard but rarely at jobs that paid enough to live on. Under these conditions St. Francis allowed them to beg. The life of Ignatius reminds us that everything God considers worthwhile does not have a high-paying salary attached to it.
Why did the people of Cagliari support the friars? These followers of Francis worked hard but rarely at jobs that paid enough to live on. Under these conditions St. Francis allowed them to beg. The life of Ignatius reminds us that everything God considers worthwhile does not have a high-paying salary attached to it.
Quote:
"And I used to work with my hands, and I [still] desire to work; and I firmly wish that all my brothers give themselves to honest work. Let those who do not know how [to work] learn, not from desire of receiving wages for their work but as an example and in order to avoid idleness. And when we are not paid for our work, let us have recourse to the table of the Lord, seeking alms from door to door" (St. Francis, Testament).
"And I used to work with my hands, and I [still] desire to work; and I firmly wish that all my brothers give themselves to honest work. Let those who do not know how [to work] learn, not from desire of receiving wages for their work but as an example and in order to avoid idleness. And when we are not paid for our work, let us have recourse to the table of the Lord, seeking alms from door to door" (St. Francis, Testament).
LECTIO DIVINA:
4TH SUNDAY OF EASTER (A)
Lectio:
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Jesus, the Good Shepherd
I came that they may have life, and have it to the full!
John 10:1-10
I came that they may have life, and have it to the full!
John 10:1-10
1.
OPENING PRAYER
Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to help us read the Scriptures with
the same mind that you read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the
light of the Word, written in the Bible, you helped them to discover the
presence of God in the disturbing events of your sentence and death. Thus, the
cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life
and of resurrection.
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.
2. READING
a) A key to the reading:
This Sunday’s Gospel presents us with the familiar image of the
Good Shepherd. When speaking of the sheep of God’s flock, Jesus uses several
images to describe the attitude of those who look after the flock. The text of
the liturgy is taken from verses 1 to 10. In our commentary we add verses 11 to
18 because these contain the image of the “Good Shepherd” and help us better
understand the sense of verses 1 to 10. During the reading, try to pay
attention to the various images or similes that Jesus uses to present to us the
way a true shepherd ought to be.
b) A division of the text as a help to the reading:
The text contains three interrelated similes:
John 10:1-5: The simile of the bandit and the shepherd
John 10:6-10: The simile of the door of the sheepfold
John 10:11-18: The simile of the good shepherd
John 10:1-5: The simile of the bandit and the shepherd
John 10:6-10: The simile of the door of the sheepfold
John 10:11-18: The simile of the good shepherd
c) The Text:
1 'In all truth I tell you, anyone who does not enter the
sheepfold through the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a
bandit. 2 He who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; 3 the
gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own
sheep and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all those that are his, he
goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice. 5 They
will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him because they do not
recognise the voice of strangers.'
6 Jesus told them this parable but they failed to understand what he was saying to them. 7 So Jesus spoke to them again: In all truth I tell you, I am the gate of the sheepfold. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and bandits, but the sheep took no notice of them. 9 I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me will be safe: such a one will go in and out and will find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. 12 The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and runs away, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep; 13 he runs away because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. 16 And there are other sheep I have that are not of this fold, and I must lead these too. They too will listen to my voice, and there will be only one flock, one shepherd. 17 The Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me; I lay it down of my own free will, and as I have power to lay it down, so I have power to take it up again; and this is the command I have received from my Father.
6 Jesus told them this parable but they failed to understand what he was saying to them. 7 So Jesus spoke to them again: In all truth I tell you, I am the gate of the sheepfold. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and bandits, but the sheep took no notice of them. 9 I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me will be safe: such a one will go in and out and will find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. 12 The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and runs away, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep; 13 he runs away because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. 16 And there are other sheep I have that are not of this fold, and I must lead these too. They too will listen to my voice, and there will be only one flock, one shepherd. 17 The Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me; I lay it down of my own free will, and as I have power to lay it down, so I have power to take it up again; and this is the command I have received from my Father.
3.
A MOMENT OF PRAYERFUL SILENCE
so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.
4.
SOME QUESTIONS
to help us in our personal reflection.
a) What part of the text most touched you? Why?
b) What images does Jesus apply to himself? How does he do that and what is their significance?
c) In this text, how many times does Jesus use the word life and what does he say about life?
d) Pastor-Pastoral. Do our pastoral actions carry on from the mission of Jesus-Pastor?
e) How can we acquire a clear view of the true Jesus of the Gospels?
b) What images does Jesus apply to himself? How does he do that and what is their significance?
c) In this text, how many times does Jesus use the word life and what does he say about life?
d) Pastor-Pastoral. Do our pastoral actions carry on from the mission of Jesus-Pastor?
e) How can we acquire a clear view of the true Jesus of the Gospels?
5.
FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO ENTER DEEPER INTO THE THEME
a) The context within which the Gospel of John was written:
This is a further example of the way John’s Gospel was written
and organised. Jesus’ words on the Shepherd (Jn 10:1-18) are like a brick
placed in an already built wall. Just before this text, in John 9:40-41, Jesus
was speaking the blindness of the Pharisees. Immediately after, in John
10:19-21, we come across the conclusion of the discussion on blindness. Thus,
the words concerning the Good Shepherd show how to remove such blindness. This
brick renders the wall stronger and more beautiful.
John 10:1-5: The simile of the bandit and the shepherd
Jesus begins his discourse with the simile of the gate: "I tell you most solemnly, I am the gate of the sheepfold. All others who have come are thieves and brigands; but the sheep took no notice of them. I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me will be safe!” To understand this simile, we need to remember what comes after. In those days, shepherds took care of the sheep during the day. At night, they brought the sheep into a large sheepfold or common enclosure, well protected against thieves and wolves. All the shepherds within a region brought their flocks there. There was a guard who watched over the flock throughout the night. In the morning the shepherd would come and knock on the gate and the guard would open the gate. The shepherd then called the sheep by name. The sheep recognised the voice of their shepherd and so they got up and followed him to pastures. The sheep of other shepherds would hear the voice, but stayed where they were, because they did not recognise the voice. Every now and then there was the danger of an attack. Thieves went into the sheepfold through a kind of loophole by removing stones from the wall around and stole the sheep. They did not enter by the gate, because the guard was there watching.
Jesus begins his discourse with the simile of the gate: "I tell you most solemnly, I am the gate of the sheepfold. All others who have come are thieves and brigands; but the sheep took no notice of them. I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me will be safe!” To understand this simile, we need to remember what comes after. In those days, shepherds took care of the sheep during the day. At night, they brought the sheep into a large sheepfold or common enclosure, well protected against thieves and wolves. All the shepherds within a region brought their flocks there. There was a guard who watched over the flock throughout the night. In the morning the shepherd would come and knock on the gate and the guard would open the gate. The shepherd then called the sheep by name. The sheep recognised the voice of their shepherd and so they got up and followed him to pastures. The sheep of other shepherds would hear the voice, but stayed where they were, because they did not recognise the voice. Every now and then there was the danger of an attack. Thieves went into the sheepfold through a kind of loophole by removing stones from the wall around and stole the sheep. They did not enter by the gate, because the guard was there watching.
John 10:6-10: The simile of the gate of the sheepfold
Those who were listening, the Pharisees, (Jn 9:40-41), could not understand what “entering by the gate” meant. Jesus explains: "I am the gate! All others who have come are thieves and brigands”. To whom do these hard words of Jesus refer? Considering his way of speaking about brigands, he was probably referring to religious leaders who dragged people after them, but did not fulfil their expectations. They were not interested in the welfare of the people, but rather in their money and their own interests. They deceived people and abandoned them to their fate. The basic criterion for discerning between the shepherd and the brigand is the defence of the life of the sheep. Jesus says: “I have come so that they may have life, and have it to the full!” To enter by the gate, means imitating Jesus’ attitude of defending the life of his sheep. Jesus asks people to take the initiative by not following those who pretend to be shepherds and who are not interested in their lives.
Those who were listening, the Pharisees, (Jn 9:40-41), could not understand what “entering by the gate” meant. Jesus explains: "I am the gate! All others who have come are thieves and brigands”. To whom do these hard words of Jesus refer? Considering his way of speaking about brigands, he was probably referring to religious leaders who dragged people after them, but did not fulfil their expectations. They were not interested in the welfare of the people, but rather in their money and their own interests. They deceived people and abandoned them to their fate. The basic criterion for discerning between the shepherd and the brigand is the defence of the life of the sheep. Jesus says: “I have come so that they may have life, and have it to the full!” To enter by the gate, means imitating Jesus’ attitude of defending the life of his sheep. Jesus asks people to take the initiative by not following those who pretend to be shepherds and who are not interested in their lives.
John 10:11-15: The simile of the Good Shepherd
Jesus changes the simile. First he was the gate, now he is the shepherd. Everyone knew what a shepherd was like, how he lived and worked. But Jesus is not just any shepherd, he is the good shepherd! The image of the goodshepherd comes from the Old Testament. When Jesus says that he is the Good Shepherd, he is presenting himself as the one who comes to fulfil the promises of the prophets and hopes of the people. He insists on two points: (a) In defending the life of his sheep, the good shepherd gives his life. (b) In the mutual understanding between shepherd and sheep, the Shepherd knows his sheep and the sheep know their shepherd.
The false shepherd who wants to overcome his blindness, has to confront his own opinion with that of the people. This is what the Pharisees did not do. They looked down on the sheep and called them cursed and ignorant people (Jn 7:49; 9:34). On the other hand, Jesus says that the people have an infallible perception in knowing who is the good shepherd, because they recognise his voice (Jn 10:,4) “My own know me” (Jn 10:14). The Pharisees thought they could discern the things of God with certainty. In truth they were blind.
The discourse on the Good Shepherd includes two important rules for removing pharisaic blindness from our eyes: (a) Shepherds are very attentive to the reaction of the sheep so that they may recognise the voice of the shepherd. (b) The sheep must be very attentive to the attitude of those who call themselves shepherds so as to verify whether they are really interested in the lives of the sheep and whether they are capable of giving their lives for their sheep. What about today’s shepherds?
Jesus changes the simile. First he was the gate, now he is the shepherd. Everyone knew what a shepherd was like, how he lived and worked. But Jesus is not just any shepherd, he is the good shepherd! The image of the goodshepherd comes from the Old Testament. When Jesus says that he is the Good Shepherd, he is presenting himself as the one who comes to fulfil the promises of the prophets and hopes of the people. He insists on two points: (a) In defending the life of his sheep, the good shepherd gives his life. (b) In the mutual understanding between shepherd and sheep, the Shepherd knows his sheep and the sheep know their shepherd.
The false shepherd who wants to overcome his blindness, has to confront his own opinion with that of the people. This is what the Pharisees did not do. They looked down on the sheep and called them cursed and ignorant people (Jn 7:49; 9:34). On the other hand, Jesus says that the people have an infallible perception in knowing who is the good shepherd, because they recognise his voice (Jn 10:,4) “My own know me” (Jn 10:14). The Pharisees thought they could discern the things of God with certainty. In truth they were blind.
The discourse on the Good Shepherd includes two important rules for removing pharisaic blindness from our eyes: (a) Shepherds are very attentive to the reaction of the sheep so that they may recognise the voice of the shepherd. (b) The sheep must be very attentive to the attitude of those who call themselves shepherds so as to verify whether they are really interested in the lives of the sheep and whether they are capable of giving their lives for their sheep. What about today’s shepherds?
John 10:16-18: Jesus’ aim: one flock and one shepherd
Jesus opens out the horizon and says that there are other sheep that are not of this sheepfold. They will not hear Jesus’ voice, but when they do, they will realise that he is the Shepherd and will follow him. Here we see the ecumenical attitude of the community of the “Beloved Disciple”.
Jesus opens out the horizon and says that there are other sheep that are not of this sheepfold. They will not hear Jesus’ voice, but when they do, they will realise that he is the Shepherd and will follow him. Here we see the ecumenical attitude of the community of the “Beloved Disciple”.
b) Further comments:
i) The image of the Shepherd in the Bible:
In Palestine, people largely depended on raising sheep and goats
for their living. The image of the shepherd who leads his sheep to pasture was
well known to all, just as today we all know the image of the driver of a coach
or of a train. It was common to use the image of the shepherd to illustrate the
function of one who ruled and led the people. The prophets criticised kings
because they were shepherds who did not take care of their flock and did not
lead the flock to pasture (Jer 2:8; 10:21; 23:1-2). Such criticism of bad
shepherds grew in the measure that, through the fault of kings, the people saw
themselves dragged into slavery (Ez 34:1-10; Zac 11:4-17).
Before the frustration experienced because of the lack of
leadership on the part of the bad shepherds, there grew the desire or the hope
of one day having a shepherd who would be really good and sincere and who would
be like God in the way of leading his people. Thus the Psalm says, "The
Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want!" (Ps 23:1-6; Gen
48:15). The prophets hope that, in some future time, God himself would be the
shepherd who would lead his flock (Is 40:11; Ez 34:11-16). They also hope that
at such a time, the people would be able to recognise the voice of their
shepherd: "Listen today to his voice!" (Ps 95:7). They hope that God
will come as a Judge to judge the sheep of the flock (Ez 34:17). They wish and
hope that one day God will raise good shepherds and that the messiah would be a
good shepherd for the people of God. (Jer 3:15; 23:4).
Jesus turns this hope into reality and presents himself as the
Good Shepherd, different from the brigands who were despoiling the people. He
presents himself as a Judge, who, at the end, will judge as a shepherd who will
separate the sheep from the goats (Mt 25:31-46). In Jesus is fulfilled the
prophecy of Zechariah who says that the good shepherd will be persecuted by the
bad shepherds who are disturbed by his denunciations: "I am going to
strike the shepherd so that the sheep may be scattered!" (Zec 13:7).
Finally Jesus is everything: he is the gate, the shepherd and the lamb!
ii) The community of the Beloved Disciple: open, tolerant and
ecumenical:
The communities lying behind the Gospel of John were made up of
various groups. Among them there were open-minded Jews with a critical view of
the Temple of Jerusalem (Jn 2:13-22) and the law (Jn 7:49-50). There were
Samaritans (Jn 4:1-42) and pagans (Jn 12:20) who became converts, both with
their historical origins and cultural customs, quite different from those of
the Jews. Even though they were made up of such different groups, John’s
communities will see the following of Jesus as a concrete lived love in
solidarity. By respecting each other’s differences, they will be aware of the
problems arising from pagans and Jews living together, problems which troubled
other communities at the time (Acts 15:5). Challenged by the realities of their
own time, the communities sought to deepen their faith in Jesus, sent by the
Father who wishes that all should be brothers and sisters (Jn 15:12-14.17) and
who says: "In my Father’s house there are many mansions!” (Jn 14:2). This
deepening facilitated dialogue with other groups. Then there were open,
tolerant and ecumenical communities (Jn 10:16).
6.
PSALM 23 (22)
Yahweh is my shepherd
Yahweh is my shepherd,
I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me
to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice
as befits his name.
I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me
to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice
as befits his name.
Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death
I should fear no danger,
for you are at my side.
Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.
I should fear no danger,
for you are at my side.
Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.
You prepare a table for me
under the eyes of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup brims over.
Kindness and faithful love pursue me
every day of my life.
I make my home in the house of Yahweh
for all time to come.
under the eyes of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup brims over.
Kindness and faithful love pursue me
every day of my life.
I make my home in the house of Yahweh
for all time to come.
7.
FINAL PRAYER
Lord Jesus, we thank for the word that has enabled us to
understand better the will of the Father. May your Spirit enlighten our actions
and grant us the strength to practice that which your Word has revealed to us.
May we, like Mary, your mother, not only listen to but also practise the Word.
You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever
and ever. Amen
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