The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to follow the lead of the Good Shepherd and reach out with the help of the Spirit to guide the people we encounter to deeper connection with the Love of God.
The reading from the Acts of the Apostles is from Peter’s report to the Church at Jerusalem wherein the Baptism of the Gentiles is explained.
* [11:1–18] The Jewish Christians of Jerusalem were scandalized to learn of Peter’s sojourn in the house of the Gentile Cornelius. Nonetheless, they had to accept the divine directions given to both Peter and Cornelius. They concluded that the setting aside of the legal barriers between Jew and Gentile was an exceptional ordinance of God to indicate that the apostolic kerygma was also to be directed to the Gentiles. Only in Acts 15 at the “Council” in Jerusalem does the evangelization of the Gentiles become the official position of the church leadership in Jerusalem. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 11, n.d.)
Psalm 42 expresses a longing for God and His Help in Distress. Psalm 43 is a prayer to God in time of trouble.
* [Psalms 42–43] Ps 42–43 form a single lament of three sections, each section ending in an identical refrain (Ps 42:6, 12; 43:5). The psalmist is far from Jerusalem, and longs for the divine presence that Israel experienced in the Temple liturgy. Despite sadness, the psalmist hopes once again to join the worshiping crowds. (Psalms, PSALM 42, n.d.)
In the Gospel of John, Jesus declares ‘I am the good shepherd’.
* [10:16] Other sheep: the Gentiles, possibly a reference to “God’s dispersed children” of Jn 11:52 destined to be gathered into one, or “apostolic Christians” at odds with the community of the beloved disciple.
* [10:18] Power to take it up again: contrast the role of the Father as the efficient cause of the resurrection in Acts 2:24; 4:10; etc.; Rom 1:4; 4:24. Yet even here is added: This command I have received from my Father. (John, CHAPTER 10, n.d.)
Eileen Burke-Sullivan comments that a good shepherd holds the flock together and they recognize him and follow him. How does he teach them to do so? By knowing each one, and providing its needs. All too often we Christians only think of shepherds as the clergy including Bishops and the Pope as “chief shepherds” but it is important that all the baptized understand that we too are called to shepherd a flock: our children, our students, our co-workers and any number of other groups that seek our guidance and support.
God’s desire and plan that we share the pastures of God’s creation with many who are different in a multitude of ways, but remain fully and completely human. Do we each shepherd the flocks we are given with that in mind, or do we fight change and demand that our way is the only way to be. If the latter is the case we have to look for the hidden motive of the hireling – we are in it for something for ourselves, not in companionship with Jesus. Our competence in shepherding demands that we see new possibilities and new dangers as we look for the outpouring of the Spirit upon us again and again. (Burke-Sullivan, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “Green pastures and still waters,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"The pastures that this good shepherd has prepared for you, in which he has settled you for you to take your fill, are not various kinds of grasses and green things, among which some are sweet to the taste, some extremely bitter, which as the seasons succeed one another are sometimes there and sometimes not. Your pastures are the words of God and his commandments, and they have all been sown as sweet grasses. These pastures had been tasted by that man who said to God, 'How sweet are your words to my palate, more so than honey and the honeycomb in my mouth!'" (excerpt from Sermon 366,3,1) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 11:1-18 comments that it certainly did not look good for a Jewish follower of Christ to break bread with people who did not adhere to Jewish standards of purity. How did Peter respond to the confrontation? Not with a lengthy theological defense, but with a vision! As a result of Peter’s explanation that day, the Church undertook a major shift in its acceptance of Gentiles.
Today, marvel at how creative and generous God is in revealing his love through dreams and visions. Perhaps a vivid dream has inspired you to pursue a God-given purpose. Perhaps you’ve seen an image in your mind’s eye that comforted you in a time of sorrow. Recall these experiences and thank God for them. Then ask him to continue to deepen your love for him and for others in his own creative way.
“Jesus, help me to see you more clearly, both while I am awake and as I sleep.” (Meditation on Acts 11:1-18, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the explanation of Peter for the baptism of Cornelius who likely was a “god-fearer” who assisted the Jewish community. The concept of “Good Shepherd” was used for kings since David yet the religious leaders had come to use it for their own purposes. Friar Jude reminds us of characteristics of sheep that we share that require us to depend on God for our survival.
Brian McLaren locates resistance to change in our misunderstanding of God and encourages us to embrace reality’s dynamism.
In other words, Greek perfect is static, but Hebrew good is dynamic. Greek perfect is sterile and changeless, but Hebrew good is fertile and fruitful….
Could this deep-seated understanding help explain why so many Christians today remain chained to the past, unable to imagine that change could be for the better, unable to accept that the present order, while superior to the past for some, is still deeply unjust for many and therefore deserves to be challenged and changed? Could sin be better understood as a refusal to accept needed change, a refusal to grow, a resistance to the arc of transition that bends toward justice?
Sometime soon, I hope you can take a walk outdoors or find a place to sit and observe the created world. Seasons change. Trees grow. Rivers flow. Rocks roll downstream and go from rough and sharp to smooth and round. You can look in the mirror and sense the same reality in your own face: new wrinkles, new wisdom. (McLaren, 2023)
We are called by the Spirit to witness to the people we encounter that we are sheep with a Shepherd who invites all to be in His flock.
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 11. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 1, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/11?1
Burke-Sullivan, E. (2023, May 1). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved May 1, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/050123.html
John, CHAPTER 10. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 1, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/10?11
McLaren, B. (2023, May 1). God's Goodness Is Dynamic — Center for Action and Contemplation. Cac.org. Retrieved May 1, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/gods-goodness-is-dynamic-05-01/
Meditation on Acts 11:1-18. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 1, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/05/01/669770/
Psalms, PSALM 42. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 1, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/42?2
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 1, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=may1
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