Fourth Sunday of Easter

 
Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 754, 764, 2665: Christ the Shepherd and Gate
CCC 553, 857, 861, 881, 896, 1558, 1561, 1568, 1574: Pope and bishops as shepherds
CCC 874, 1120, 1465, 1536, 1548-1551, 1564, 2179, 2686: Priests as shepherds
CCC 14, 189, 1064, 1226, 1236, 1253-1255, 1427-1429: Conversion, faith, and baptism
CCC 618, 2447: Christ an example in bearing wrongs

“Christ the Good Shepherd”
iconifer and date unknown

 
Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Acts 2:14a, 36-41
 
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven,
raised his voice, and proclaimed:
“Let the whole house of Israel know for certain
that God has made both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified.”
 
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,
and they asked Peter and the other apostles,
“What are we to do, my brothers?”
Peter said to them,
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call.”
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them,
“Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand persons were added that day.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Acts 2:14a, 36-41
 
This exhortation to repentance follows the first of six discourses in Acts (Acts 2:14-36) dealing with Jesus’ resurrection and mission as Messiah. It occurs immediately after the Pentecost event. The change in the apostles, especially St. Peter, is amazing.  Peter, who only a short time before had cringed when charged, “You too are one of them,” (Luke 22:58) now, filled with the Holy, Spirit boldly proclaims the kerygma. The focus of this selection is the idea of internal conversion of heart – repentance as acceptance of the offer of Christ’s salvation to all peoples (“For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off”). The response to St. Peter’s discourse was impressive, with a huge number in the Jewish audience accepting the call to repentance and the acceptance of Jesus as the Christ.
 
CCC: Acts 2:34-36 447, 449; Acts 2:36-38 1433; Acts 2:36 440, 597, 695, 731, 746; Acts 2:38 1226, 1262, 1287, 1427; Acts 2:41 363, 1226
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23: 1-3a, 3b4, 5, 6
 
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Alleluia.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
 
Psalm 23 is one of the most familiar songs in the entire psalter. “God's loving care for the psalmist is portrayed under the figures of a shepherd for the flock (Psalm 23:1-4) and a host's generosity toward a guest (Psalm 23:5-6). The imagery of both sections is drawn from traditions of the exodus (Isaiah 40:11; 49:10; Jeremiah 31:10).” [5] While the theme of shepherd is mentioned in the first strophe, the psalm really speaks to the peace given to those who follow the Lord and place their trust in Him, even into the “dark valley.”
 
The reference in the third strophe above: “'You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes' occurs in an exodus context in Psalm 78:19. As my enemies watch: my enemies see that I am God's friend and guest. Oil: a perfumed ointment made from olive oil, used especially at banquets (Psalm 104:15; Matthew 26:7; Luke 7:37, 46; John 12:2).” [6]
 
CCC: Ps 23:5 1293
-----------------------------------------------
Reading 2: 1 Peter 2:20b-25
 
Beloved:
If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good,
this is a grace before God.
For to this you have been called,
because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.
He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.
 
When he was insulted, he returned no insult;
when he suffered, he did not threaten;
instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly.
He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross,
so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness.
By his wounds you have been healed.
 
For you had gone astray like sheep,
but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Pt 2:20b-25
 
St. Peter, in this selection speaks to a Church undergoing persecution. He encourages them not to react to this unjust treatment with violence, but to submit with humility as Christ did. To illustrate his point, he quotes Isaiah (Isaiah 53:9b). Following this quote, he goes on to describe Jesus’ passion with language reminiscent of the Suffering Servant section of Isaiah 53:4-12. The concluding verse, speaking of the pre-conversion community as being like sheep who had gone astray, links the passage to both St. John’s Gospel (John 10:1-10) and Psalm 23.
 
CCC: 1 Pt 2:21 618; 1 Pt 2:24 612
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: John 10:1-10
 
Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
 
So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 10:1-10
 
“The good shepherd discourse continues the theme of attack on the Pharisees that ends John 9. The figure is allegorical: the hired hands are the Pharisees who excommunicated the cured blind man. It serves as a commentary on John 9. For the shepherd motif, used of Yahweh in the Old Testament, cf. Exodus 34; Genesis 48:15; 49:24; Micah 7:14; Psalm 23:1-4; Psalm 80:1.”[7]
 
In the opening verses, the Lord’s analogy to the sheep not entering through the sheep gate reiterates the message explicitly stated in the Bread of Life discourse – no one comes to the Father except through the Son. He continues to explain in detail that he is the gate – and that to deny him as the Son of God leads not to the Father but to death. But whoever comes to him will be saved (“might have life and have it more abundantly.”)
 
CCC: Jn 10:1-21 764; Jn 10:11-15 754; Jn 10:11 553, 754; Jn 10:16 60; Jn 10:17-18 614, 649; Jn 10:17 606; Jn 10:18 609
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
We begin the fourth week since the joy of Easter burst upon the Church and the world.  We see the effect this event has had on the apostles, strengthened by the gift of the Holy Spirit, as St. Peter fearlessly proclaims the Risen Christ to the people of Jerusalem.  We have heard the entire discourse in Scripture during the weeks since the Easter event.  Today we are given the conclusion, and the question asked by those who have heard of and understood the terrible mistake made by the Jewish leadership when they condemned and crucified the Son of God.  They ask Peter: “What are we to do, my brothers?”
 
The answer the disciples give to that question is the same answer Jesus announced to the Pharisees before his death.  He tells them in the discourse of the Good Shepherd in St. John’s Gospel, that: “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.”  The answer St. Peter gave directed his audience to that gate: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
 
As we reflect upon these historical events in the life of faith, we seek a meaning that will direct our footsteps.  We believe that Jesus is the “way the truth, and the life.”  We have come to believe, as the disciples responding to Jesus at the conclusion of the Bread of Life discourse, “and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”  Very good, right, we are on the road to salvation.  Our professions of faith in the Lord flings open the “gate” to the Father.
 
Our challenge, of course, is we must push that gate open each day.  Belief that Jesus is the way does not mean we cannot take a wrong turn.  If following Jesus were the only path available each day, our job would be easy.  If making the right choices each day was easy, we would be guaranteed an easy trip home to the Father.  Unfortunately, there are other choices we can make.  Unlike the Lord, we are not the ultimate expression of love for all humanity, and as a result we must be reminded that, each day, we must open that gate and choose the right path.  Each day we must rededicate ourselves to the Father through His Son.  Each day our actions must express that dedication, that love.
 
Why after four weeks of constant celebration of our Easter joy do we still need to be reminded?  It is because each day we must hear St. Peter’s words in response to our own question: “What are we to do?”  Our response, repentance and conversion – each day we seek the “gate.”
 
Pax

In other years on April 30th: Optional Memorial for SAINT PIUS V, POPE, RELIGIOUS
 

---

[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture used today is “Christ the Good Shepherd” iconifer and date unknown.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] See NAB footnote on Psalm 23.
[6] Ibid.
[7] See NAB Footnote on John 10:1ff.