The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to reflect on the work of the Spirit in the growth of the Church and challenge us to be open to following the Spirit in gathering others to His Flock.
The reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes the building of the Church in Antioch.
* [11:19–26] The Jewish Christian antipathy to the mixed community was reflected by the early missionaries generally. The few among them who entertained a different view succeeded in introducing Gentiles into the community at Antioch (in Syria). When the disconcerted Jerusalem community sent Barnabas to investigate, he was so favorably impressed by what he observed that he persuaded his friend Saul to participate in the Antioch mission.
* [11:26] Christians: “Christians” is first applied to the members of the community at Antioch because the Gentile members of the community enable it to stand out clearly from Judaism. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 87 praises the Joy of living in Zion.
* [Psalm 87] A song of Zion, like Ps 46; 48; 76; 132.
* [87:2] The gates: the city itself, a common Hebrew idiom.
* [87:5–6] The bond between the exile and the holy city was so strong as to override the exile’s citizenship of lesser cities. (Psalms, PSALM 87 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of John, Jesus is rejected by the Jews.
* [10:22] Feast of the Dedication: an eight-day festival of lights (Hebrew, Hanukkah) held in December, three months after the feast of Tabernacles (Jn 7:2), to celebrate the Maccabees’ rededication of the altar and reconsecration of the temple in 164 B.C., after their desecration by Antiochus IV Epiphanes (Dn 8:13; 9:27; cf. 1 Mc 4:36–59; 2 Mc 1:18–2:19; 10:1–8).
* [10:23] Portico of Solomon: on the east side of the temple area, offering protection against the cold winds from the desert.
* [10:24] Keep us in suspense: literally, “How long will you take away our life?” Cf. Jn 11:48–50. If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly: cf. Lk 22:67. This is the climax of Jesus’ encounters with the Jewish authorities. There has never yet been an open confession before them.
* [10:25] I told you: probably at Jn 8:25 which was an evasive answer.
* [10:29] The textual evidence for the first clause is very divided; it may also be translated: “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 is justification for Jn 10:29; it asserts unity of power and reveals that the words and deeds of Jesus are the words and deeds of God. (John, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)
Rashmi Fernando, S.J., upon reflecting on Jesus' use of the term ‘sheep’, discerns at least three interpretations relevant to our post-resurrection era.
Firstly, Jesus is the good shepherd who calls and cares for his sheep as his own (“my sheep”). Secondly, he is not only the true shepherd, but he is also the sacrificial ram of the New Testament, sharing in the collective sheepfold of our humanity. In that profound solidarity, he abased himself to our level to become one among and like us (his fellow sheep), humbled himself at our feet, and endured betrayals, suffering, and a horrific slaughter at a stake so that we may be saved. Thirdly, he is truly the Lamb of God, the one who was not only crucified and killed but also resurrected among us, thus manifesting his unconditional and unfathomable love and loyalty not only to the Father but also to us, his beloved flock. His love and loyalty to his own sheep were so strong that he, before ascending back to the Father, made sure to entrust his authority to the Church, instructing, “Feed my sheep” (Jn. 21:17), thus affirming our collective responsibility to nurture and guide one another after him. (Fernando, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The Great might of Christ's hand,” by Clement of Alexandria, 150-215 A.D.
"The faithful also have the help of Christ, and the devil is not able to snatch them. Those who have an endless enjoyment of good things remain in Christ's hand, no one thereafter snatching them away from the bliss that is given to them. [No one can throw them] into punishment or torments. For it is not possible that those who are in Christ's hand should be snatched away to be punished because of the great might Christ has. For 'the hand' in the divine Scripture signifies 'the power'" It cannot be doubted therefore that the hand of Christ is unconquerable and mighty to all things." (excerpt from the COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 7.1) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation: Acts 11:19-26 comments that when facing job loss, the death of a loved one, or an unexpected medical condition, it can be easy to get discouraged. But what if God’s plans include working to bring about good in the midst of those challenging situations? A hospital stay, for example, could lead to an opportunity to share your testimony with the medical staff or other patients. A job loss could lead to a new position more suited to your gifts. Or perhaps the loss of one relationship leads to a new season of friendship in another.
Wherever you find yourself today, hold onto your faith that the Lord is with you. Your hope could attract people to you and lead to an opportunity to share the treasure that you hold—the reality of Jesus’ life and love! God is faithful; he can bring good out of any situation.
“Lord, open my eyes to see and share your goodness and truth in every season of my life.” (Meditation: Acts 11:19-26, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler notes the mission of the followers of Christ to go into the whole region and how Paul and Barnabas came to Antioch where the community embraced gentiles and they became known as Christians. The proclamation of Jesus that the “Father and I are One” was outrageous to some Jewish believers. Friar Jude reminds us that we have been called by Christ, who gives us the ability to follow Him.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces David Denny and Tessa Bielecki who direct the Desert Foundation, an informal circle of friends who share a love for desert land. For Denny, the desert is not “deserted”; it can lead to peacemaking and a fullness of life.
Peacemaking happens best when we develop a way of life that includes an understanding of desert spirituality. That is, in addition to being geography and spirit, the desert, as I’m fond of saying, has traditionally fostered hospitality, respect, and dialogue with the stranger. This spirit arises from various aspects of the “desert”: a freely chosen dedication to humility, interfaith dialogue, and simple, ecologically sustainable living….
For many people, the desert is a place to avoid, a place of banishment or grief, or simply useless and vacant. In English, when we say that a place is “deserted,” we usually mean that we find nothing significant there. But the Arabic verb ashara means to enter the desert willingly, for there, according to The Sacred Desert by David Jasper, “If one knows where to look, there are springs and wells of water and places of life.” [4] That’s why Isaiah 35:1 so aptly describes the heart of the universal desert experience: The desert and the dry land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. [5] (Rohr, n.d.)
We reflect on the peace and joy that can accompany our gathering as His Flock even as we seek the push and courage from the Spirit to go out and invite others, in His Name, to our community.
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/11?19
Fernando, R. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/042324.html
John, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/10?
Meditation: Acts 11:19-26. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/04/23/941757/
Psalms, PSALM 87 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/87?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Formed by the Desert. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/formed-by-the-desert/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=apr23
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