LAMB AND SHEPHERD - 4TH SUNDAY OF EASTER (5/8/2022)

FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

May 8, 2022

Acts 13:14, 43-52
Psalm 100
Revelation 7:9, 14-17
John 10:27-30

LAMB AND SHEPHERD

The risen Lord Jesus is both the Lamb of God and the Good Shepherd. The Responsorial, Psalm 100, says that "we are his people, the sheep of his flock." Today is traditionally called "Good Shepherd Sunday," because the gospel is always from John 10 - the beautiful "Good Shepherd" chapter.

ACTS

Acts chapter 13 starts out with Paul and Barnabas being set apart for missionary work and being commissioned by the church in Antioch. Much of this chapter tells of their travels and their various experiences as they preached the gospel. Today's first reading, however, has them preaching in the city of...Antioch! Confusing? Well, consider that there were at least 17 different cities by that name in Asia Minor at that time. They actually set off from Antioch in Syria and made their way to Antioch in Pisidia (modern-day Turkey) - about 500 miles away.

The reception to the gospel here is mixed. The Gentiles were generally receptive but, although some Jews believed, others "were filled with jealousy" and "stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas," expelling them from their territory.

The apostles, for their part, "shook the dust from their feet" but "were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit" - indeed a special grace when encountering fierce opposition and intense rejection!

GOSPEL

Our gospel today is comprised of the last few verses of the "Good Shepherd" section of John 10. Today's reading stops just in time because the very next verse says: "The Jews took up stones again to stone him." Jesus also faced intense rejection!

In this short gospel passage, Jesus tells us that his sheep hear his voice and follow him. Jesus knows his sheep and gives them eternal life. He says, "No one can take them out of my hand."
In the next verse, Jesus talks about his Father. He says, "No one can take them out of the Father's hand." Then Jesus makes the climactic statement of his divinity: "The Father and I are one."


REVELATION

Jesus is our Good Shepherd, but he is also the Lamb who was slain. In our second reading from Revelation, the huge victorious multitude of the saved stand before the throne of the Father and the Lamb of God.

In this beautiful description of heaven, the saints are described as those "who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (It has been pointed out that this is the only instance when you can wash something in crimson blood and have it come out white as snow!)

There is a great reward for those who have followed the Lamb - no more hunger or thirst, no inconvenience of any kind. The Lamb of God will be shepherd of the sheep, and lead them to springs of life-giving water, while every tear will be wiped away. What a glorious day that will be!

OVERCOMING

What do we have to do to reach "the throne and the Lamb?" We have to pass our earthly test. We have to follow the Lamb wherever he leads us. The apostles, saints and martyrs before us were led into some difficult places! But they fearlessly bore witness to the Lamb through the power of the Holy Spirit. May we do no less in our day.