The Fourth Sunday of Easter [C]
Acts 13:14,43-52  +  Revelation 7:9,14-17  +  John 10:27-30

“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

Jesus is our Good Shepherd.  He left the paradise of Heaven to seek out and save us who are lost sheep, who have mired ourselves in our sins.  The entire Season of Easter is about celebrating Christ’s victory over sin and death.  But on this Fourth Sunday of Easter, we reflect on the meaning of this truth for daily life.

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is traditionally called “Good Shepherd Sunday”.  This name stems from today’s Gospel passage, taken from the tenth chapter of John.  We Christians, although justified through the Sacrament of Baptism, continue throughout our lives to stray from God.  We need the Good Shepherd each day.

For the sake of our need, the Good Shepherd reveals Himself not only through the Gospel Reading.  He also proclaims who He is in the Responsorial:  “Know that the Lord is God; / He made us, His we are; / His people, the flock He tends.”

Ponder the words of this psalm.  After all, we don’t usually think of a shepherd as having “made” “the flock He tends.”  A shepherd might be involved in bringing together the ram and ewe that actually “make” sheep, but how could  you say that a shepherd “makes” his flock?  But that’s what the Bible says in today’s Responsorial Psalm.

The unusual fact that this Shepherd “made us” reveals our destiny, which is a loftier destiny than most sheep.  For your average sheep, its destiny is to provide wool, mutton, and milk.  The sheep is a means towards protection from the elements and nourishment.

But it’s foolish to think of us as sheep along these lines, because God needs neither protection nor nourishment.  So that begs the question:  why are the images of the Shepherd and His flock fitting to describe God and us?  What are we for?  For what end did this Shepherd make us?  In the venerable King James translation of Psalm 23, we hear:

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.   He restoreth my soul:  he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

Here is why this Good Shepherd made us.  “For His Name’s sake” He made us:  for His sake, not for our own sake.  He made us for His life in Heaven, not for earth.  Unfortunately, too often, you and I not only live in this world.  We live for this world, and for ourselves as well.  The imagery of the 23^rd Psalm evokes the reality of God’s life in Heaven:  “green pastures”, “still waters”, a table prepared by the Lord, and a cup that “runneth over”.

There’s a stark contrast here.  On the one hand are the natural differences between God and us fallen sinners.  On the other hand are the tender intimacy that the Shepherd has for, and wants for, His flock.  This is a closeness that we don’t deserve, but which the Shepherd desires for us.  The Good Shepherd will go to great extremes for His flock.  He will give up His life for His sheep.  In the same chapter that today’s Gospel passage comes from, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd… just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep” [John 10:14-15].  But Jesus will do even more.

In today’s Second Reading from the Book of Revelation, we hear St. John the Evangelist describe a vision that he had.  He points out that “‘the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water’”.  In fact, three times in today’s Second Reading—and forty times in the entire Book of Revelation—the word “lamb” is used by St. John.  But in this sentence from today’s Second Reading, he uses this word in an unusual way.  This “lamb” is also a “shepherd”:  “‘the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water’”. 

This “lamb”, of course, is the Risen Jesus.  This lamb is our Good Shepherd, the God who chose not only to become man, but also to offer His Body and Blood along with His soul and divinity on the Cross for you.  This crucified and risen God-man is a sheep like you, but also your divine shepherd.

Thursday of the Third Week of Easter
Acts 8:26-40  +  John 6:44-51

“… the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

We continue to hear today from John 6, one of the most important chapters in the entire Bible.  In this chapter, Jesus teaches us about the Sacrament of the Eucharist, a gift that He will give to His disciples at the Last Supper.

In today’s passage from John 6, Jesus begins by presenting three connected points.

Jesus first declares, “I am the Bread of Life.”  Then He describes Himself as “the bread that comes down from Heaven so that one may eat it and not die.”  Third, Jesus calls Himself “the living bread”.  In all three of these statements, Jesus explains that He is not just nourishment.  Jesus is a bread that offers a life stronger than death.

“Life” is what Jesus is as God, in His divine nature.  “Bread” is what Jesus is for us, in His human nature.  So it’s through Jesus’ human nature that He reveals His love for us, and allows us to share in His love.

This Bread, in other words, is for you, but not about you.  Through the Bread of Life you grow in the likeness of the divine person of Jesus Christ.  Through the Bread of Life you participate in divine life.

Then Jesus reveals this awesome Mystery even further by making a fourth point.  In the very last phrase of today’s Gospel passage, Jesus stakes the claim that makes or breaks His disciples.

Jesus declares:  “the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.”  Jesus is not just “bread”.  He is not just “food for the hungry”.  Jesus is not just bread that offers life.  He is not just bread that strengthens you to survive death.  Jesus is the divine Word made Flesh, and His Flesh is the bread that He “will give for the life of the world.”

Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter
Acts 8:1-8  +  John 6:35-40

“… whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.”

One benefit of attending weekday Mass is how the experience of Sunday Mass is more enriching.  During Easter this is even more true.  The Scripture readings of weekday Masses especially tend to dovetail with those of Sunday Masses.

Starting last Friday and continuing through this Saturday, the Gospel passage at weekday Mass is from John Chapter Six.  This chapter culminates in Jesus’ teaching about His Real Presence in the Eucharist.  In this coming Sunday’s Gospel passage, Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd.  Through these Scripture passages, we can deepen our faith in Christ by understanding more deeply who He is for us.

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus first states, “I am the bread of life”, emphasizing His Eucharistic doctrine.  But about two-thirds of the way through the passage, He focuses upon the sort of action a shepherd carries out.  He states:  “this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me”.

As we read, and re-read John Chapter Six, we become aware of how Our Lord is weaving together several different truths about Himself.  He does this in order to deepen our love for Him, and faith in Him.  In these two truths—Jesus as the Bread of Life, and Jesus as the Shepherd who sacrifices Himself for us—we see why Holy Mother Church calls us to see Jesus as “our All”.  The Church, in one of the prefaces at Mass for Easter, likewise chants the following to God the Father:  “By the oblation of His Body, / [Jesus] brought the sacrifices of old to fulfillment / in the reality of the Cross / and, by commending Himself to You for our salvation, / showed Himself the Priest, the Altar, and the Lamb of sacrifice.”

Sts. Philip & James, Apostles
1 Corinthians 15:1-8  +  John 14:6-14

“Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father.”

Throughout the Easter Season, the Scriptures at Holy Mass focus our attention upon several recurring themes.  Examples of this are the Good Shepherd, the Bread of Life, and the unity of the Church.  As is fitting for the feast of two apostles, the Scriptures for today’s feast of St. Philip and St. James highlight how the Church’s foundation is apostolic.  Of course, the role of the apostles goes beyond the Church’s beginning.

Those ordained to the office of bishop continue to carry out the work first entrusted to the apostles.  Each and every member of the Church has a vocation that is missionary in nature:  in fact, “apostolic” in nature, inasmuch as the word “apostle” literally means “one who is sent”.  Every Christian is called to “go outside himself” and share with others the natural and supernatural gifts he has received.  Most Christians do this chiefly through family life, and in the secular workplace and community.  We might say that the laity are apostles “ad extra”, outside the walls of the Church.

However, within the Church, those called to the office of bishop have a unique role.  While laypeople proclaim the Gospel within the domestic church and in the workplace and community, bishops proclaim the Gospel to all of the Church’s members, and this chiefly through the Sacred Liturgy.  The Gospel is meant—among other goals—to bring order to chaos:  that is, to foster unity.  Everyone who is a member of a family, a neighborhood, a parish, etc. knows how difficult it can be to cultivate unity.

Unity is the first of the Church’s four marks for a reason.  Apostolicity serves her unity.  For this reason, then, pray for your local bishop and for our universal bishop, His Holiness the Pope, called to preside in charity over the Church throughout the entire earth.

Monday of the Third Week of Easter
Acts 6:8-15  +  John 6:22-29

“… believe in the one He sent.”

In today’s Gospel passage from John 6, we hear the crowd ask Jesus two questions.  First they ask, “Rabbi [meaning, “Teacher”], when did you get here?”  Jesus doesn’t answer their question, but He confronts them with the fact that they are only concerning themselves about their physical hunger.  It was for this reason that they had wanted to make Him their king.  But Jesus wants them to want something greater.

Towards this end, He shifts their attention from the physical hunger that He satisfied shortly before through the multiplication of loaves, to the spiritual hunger that He will satisfy later through the Institution of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  To the extent that they understand how Jesus is trying to shift the direction of their conversation, the crowd wants in.

So they ask Jesus their second question:  “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”  Jesus’ response is brief.  The work of God is to have faith in the One He sent.  In other words, they do not themselves have the means to satisfy this hunger:  there is no spiritual refrigerator, supermarket, or field for them to go to.  Their spiritual hunger is not only for something to fill the emptiness inside their souls.  That hunger is also for something to fill the emptiness around them.  For there is nothing around them in the world that is capable of sustaining them eternally, but only dependence upon God through the divine virtue of faith.

Saturday of the Second Week of Easter
Acts 6:1-7  +  John 6:16-21

“It is I.  Do not be afraid.”

How can the presence of Jesus cause fear in people?  Contrast today’s Gospel passage with the scene of the Annunciation.  Jesus says to the apostles in today’s Gospel passage what the Archangel Gabriel says to Mary:  “Do not be afraid!”  Is it odd that God’s Presence—or even the news of His desire to come and be present—so often causes fear?

Do you yourself feel fear when you sense God’s desire to enter into your “boat”?  Can you welcome Him with the faith and trust of our Blessed Mother?  What other parallels are there between today’s Gospel passage and the Annunciation?

One parallel would be between the physical structure of the boat in today’s Gospel passage and the physical and spiritual dimensions of Mary as a person.  The parallel is not exact.  But a boat (or to use an archaic word, “barque”) is used in Catholic theology as a symbol for the Church, in which dwell the members of the Body of Christ.

Mary, as the Theotokos or “God-bearer”, is the Mother of Christ and therefore the Mother of the Church and all her members.  Continue to pray to our Blessed Mother throughout the remainder of Easter, asking that through her intercession, fear may be replaced by fire in your heart:  the power of the Holy Spirit.

Friday of the Second Week of Easter
Acts 5:34-42  +  John 6:1-15

… He withdrew again to the mountain alone.

For more than a week, beginning today, our Gospel passage at weekday Mass will come from the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel account. The Church spreads out the proclamation of John 6 over eight weekdays, from today—which is Friday of the Second Week of Easter—to Saturday of the Third Week of Easter. It’s not a coincidence that the conclusion of John 6 is proclaimed on the day before the Fourth Sunday of Easter, which is Good Shepherd Sunday. In the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist, about which Jesus teaches us in John 6, is the divine food with which the Good Shepherd feeds His flock.

In the first fifteen verses of John 6, Jesus shows His fellow Israelites that the Law of Moses is not enough.  The Law cannot fulfill the human person and cannot offer eternal life.  The people in the crowd who witness this new miracle of Jesus multiplying the loaves are attracted all the more to Jesus.  They recognize Jesus as the Prophet, one even greater than Moses.  They believe that He can be their king in this world.

But what does Jesus instantly do?  Immediately, He does something counter-intuitive.  He withdraws to the mountain alone.  Why did He withdraw from God’s people?  He withdrew from them for the same reason that He often withdraws His presence from the soul of a Christian:  that is, to purify the disciple’s desires.

Consider that Moses in the desert responded to the grumbling of the Israelites by drawing manna from Heaven.  But this did not stop their grumbling.  Throughout the forty years of Israel’s wandering through the desert, Moses had constantly to meet the needs of the Israelites as they continued to grumble.  It was as if Moses was the only one who could truly keep sight of their true goal, the Promised Land:  a land overflowing with milk and honey, where there would be no more hunger, and where they would be truly filled.

Yet even after the Israelites reached this Promised Land, they grew over the centuries to believe that their life there was the best God had to offer.  They did not realize that their covenant with God was about to be fulfilled by a new and everlasting covenant.  They did not realize that the Word of God, present in the Scriptures, had become flesh and was standing in their midst, offering to lead them towards eternal life.  What they did not realize, they could not desire.

The Third Sunday of Easter [C]
Acts 5:27-32,40-41  +  Revelation 5:11-14  +  John 21:1-19

He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.

As the Church journeys through the Easter Season, we continually celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection.  But it’s important to keep in mind that the point of this joy is the feast celebrated at Easter’s end:  the holy feast of Pentecost.  Pentecost, celebrated on the fiftieth and final day of the season of Easter, is a celebration of God the Holy Spirit flooding the hearts, minds, and souls of those who wish to live as members of the Body of Christ.

So Pentecost is the end of Eastertide in two senses.  Pentecost is the final day of the Season of Easter.  But more importantly, Pentecost is the end of Easter in the sense of being the goal of Easter.

Each Sunday of Easter, in its own unique way, helps us prepare for Pentecost.  Jesus’ appearances in His Risen Body alert us more and more to the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church, of which God calls us to be full members.

Last Sunday, we heard that on the very evening of the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to the apostles—except Thomas—and breathed upon them the gift of the Holy Spirit, so that they might be able to forgive the sins of fellow human beings.  Just days earlier Jesus had died on the Cross for the forgiveness of sins.  Yet on the evening of the Resurrection, by giving to the apostles what St. John in the Book of Revelation calls “the keys of death and the nether world”, Jesus gave the apostles the power to free men and women from the prison of sin.

Today we hear how Christ extended the gift of reconciliation to one of the apostles in a particular way.  Like all the gifts that God gives, this gift of reconciliation was given to Saint Peter so that he would be a better disciple of Christ Jesus in his own particular manner.  After commanding St. Peter in regard to the miraculous catch of fish—itself a symbol of the apostles’ ministry to be “fishers of men”—Our Risen Lord asks Peter a very simple question.  This questions aims at reconciliation.

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”  The fact that Jesus addresses this question to “Simon, son of John” instead of to “Peter” is significant.  St. John the Evangelist, before the answer to Jesus’ question is given, refers to this man as “Simon Peter”; after the answer is given, the evangelist refers to him simply as “Peter”.  We know that the name Peter means “rock”, and that it is upon this rock that Jesus built His Church.  Nonetheless, until Peter repented publicly three times, in order to make up for his three-fold public denial of Jesus, Peter could not serve as Jesus wanted.

Only by assuring Jesus that he loved Him could he accept the name “Peter”.  But notice also that in Jesus accepting Peter’s repentance, He also gives Peter a new command.  Jesus commands him not only to be faithful to proclaiming His Name, as he had failed to do after the Last Supper.  Jesus’ new command for Peter was something greater:  “Feed my sheep.”  Peter was not only to be “rock-solid”, so to speak, in preaching the Gospel.  Peter was to be the Rock at the very heart of the Church, upon which the entire Church would rest.  Just as the Israelites in the desert struck the Rock and found a source of living water, so the Church finds in the Rock of Peter the assurance that the words the Church teaches are the words of Jesus Himself.

This reconciliation between Jesus and Peter had to take place before Jesus could ascend to Heaven.  Without the Rock of Peter to rely upon, the Church could not begin its mission at Pentecost.

Why is this office of Peter—the office of the pope—so important?  Many Christians find the office of Peter a stumbling block to Christian unity, but in fact it is an assurance of the Church’s unity, because at the heart of this office is love.  The Holy Spirit is the love between the Father and the Son.  Only this love can unite the Church here on earth.  This love is the key to living out the Gospel, and is in fact the key to the kingdom of Heaven.