May 8- 4th Sunday of Easter

(Acts 13:14, 43-52; Rev 7:9, 14b-17; Jn 10:27-30)

Acts tells of a dispute developing between Paul and the Jews over the offer of the Gospel to the Gentiles. “Almost the whole city” came together to hear the preaching of Paul and Barnabas; the response of the leading Jews is one of jealousy. If Israel is to complete its task as the “servant of the Lord” mentioned in Isaiah, then they must extend themselves to the Gentiles. Our Psalm reminds us The Lord is good; his kindness endures forever, and his faithfulness, to all generations. Revelations tells of the cultures of the ancient Near East, the shepherd was just such a symbol of gentleness, authority, solicitude, and power. The shepherd was guide, protector, companion, and caretaker of the flock. For this reason, the shepherd was a preferred image for kings. In Jesus, we see combined God and man, shepherd and lamb, ruler and companion. He is Lamb, Shepherd, and King. John’s description of The Shepherd is one of kindness and compassion; at the same time shepherds must be strong and courageous in protecting their flocks. Leadership of the flock is not provided from the outside but from inside the fold; Jesus has an intimate knowledge of those he came to save. Jesus’ grasp over his own is mighty. As easy as it might be to wander from the voice of the shepherd, it is far more difficult to be taken out of his grasp.

• Have you ever participated on a team or been part of a group activity in which the individual members worked well together?
• Are we modeling Christian charity with those we encounter from our work lives, our churches and in our home lives?
• Who are the shepherds in your life and how well do you follow and support them?
• Even if he allows suffering and crosses to come into our life, do we trust that he loves us and wills our salvation?