4th Sunday of Easter - Fr. Leo
Paul and Barnabas reach Antioch and are effective instruments of the Lord, bringing the light of faith to the people of that city. The faith they preach is a light, it makes spiritual things visible in their minds and hearts. People are drawn to them because the gospel they hear, resonates in their deepest being.
Not surprising, the Jews become jealous and stir things up to the point that Paul and Barnabas will need to move on. The same struggle that Jesus had with darkness, is theirs as well. Things are the same today. We who believe, have many detractors. And we will be judged negatively by some, for professing our faith. Ours’s too, is the struggle against the darkness of our age.
Our second reading from revelation celebrates those who lived and died for the light and who are now in heaven, their robes washed clean in the blood of the lamb. They happily worship God and all their tears are wiped away. Sometimes justice doesn’t come fully in this life. But, we can live confident in one day being raised from the dead and all our sorrows wiped away.
What helps me here is to think about the disciples and how they were happy in their trials. For them, they were already in heaven as they proclaimed the love of God despite their hardships and physical suffering. Theirs was real faith. Inspiring faith!
The gospel gives us the wonderful pastoral image of sheep being lovingly shepherd by God. Jesus’ voice resonates in our hearts; his truth, love and justice lights our inner souls. In Christ, nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God. Neither, persecution, famine, or the sword. In all these things, we conquer overwhelmingly in him who loves us.
There is a warmth in the image of the shepherd and sheep. It’s not condescending, but precious. There is a clip on YouTube of a small little lamb at the side of a man lying on the ground, the little sheep keeps pawing, or hoofing, the man so he will continue to pet him. I like to picture this scene when I think of Christ being my good shepherd and the love he must have as he looks at me, whom he created.
Christ is the good shepherd for all of us and he loves what he sees in us, even if we can’t see it. So, let us let Christ be our good shepherd, that he may tend to us and bring us to the fullness of his Joy. Amen!