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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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.”
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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
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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

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[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.

Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist

Biographical Information about St. Mark

“Saint Mark”
by Guido Reni, 1621

Readings for the Feast of St. Mark [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 1 Peter 5:5b-14
 
Beloved:
Clothe yourselves with humility
in your dealings with one another, for:
God opposes the proud
but bestows favor on the humble.
 
So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,
that he may exalt you in due time.
Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you.
 
Be sober and vigilant.
Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour.
Resist him, steadfast in faith,
knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the world
undergo the same sufferings.
The God of all grace
who called you to his eternal glory through Christ Jesus
will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you
after you have suffered a little.
To him be dominion forever. Amen.
 
I write you this briefly through Silvanus,
whom I consider a faithful brother,
exhorting you and testifying that this is the true grace of God.
Remain firm in it.
The chosen one at Babylon sends you greeting, as does Mark, my son.
Greet one another with a loving kiss.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
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Commentary on 1 Pt 5:5b-14
 
St. Peter, according to most scholars, probably wrote this letter just before his death in Rome (code named Babylon in our text today) between 65 and 67 A.D. This concluding part of his letter encourages humility and fidelity to the Lord in the face of persecution which comes from the devil. The mention of Mark at the end of this selection is probably referring to St. Mark the Evangelist.
 
"The apostle concludes his exhortation with a call to humility, which should express itself in complete docility in the face of the trials God permits (verses 6-7). This last piece of advice is often found in Sacred Scripture: 'Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you' (Psalm 55:23); Jesus also teaches that we should trust in God's fatherly providence (cf. Matthew 6:19-34). 'You have such care for each one of us', St. Augustine exclaims, 'as if you had no others to care for' ("Confessions", 3, 11)." [4]
 
CCC: 1 Pt 5:7 322; 1 Pt 5:8 409, 2849
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89:2-3, 6-7, 16-17
 
R. (2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The heavens proclaim your wonders, O LORD,
and your faithfulness, in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies can rank with the LORD?
Who is like the LORD among the sons of God?
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;
in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.
At your name they rejoice all the day,
and through your justice they are exalted.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 89:2-3, 6-7, 16-17
 
Psalm 89 is a lament of the community. The psalmist rejoices in God’s steadfast support. God’s constant presence is established through the gift of his creation, proof of his omnipotence. The selection concludes inviting the faithful to rejoice in God’s presence and the justice of his judgment.
 
CCC: Ps 89 709
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Gospel: Mark 16:15-20
 
Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
"Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
 
Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,
was taken up into heaven
and took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.
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Commentary on Mk 16:15-20
 
The verse just prior to this passage, which is the ending of St. Mark’s Gospel, indicates that the disciples are still not sure what has happened (typical of the image we have of the disciples in St. Mark's Gospel). Jesus comes to them at table, rebuking them for their unbelief. That sets the stage for this commissioning address by the Lord. Once again, the disciples, now apostles, are sent into the world with God’s blessing. This action is important because it supports the universal mission of the Twelve. In response to the Lord's instructions the apostles went into the world, accompanied by the Holy Spirit ("while the Lord worked with them"). They demonstrated the truth that is Christ risen.
 
CCC: Mk 16:15-16 977, 1223; Mk 16:15 888; Mk 16:16 161, 183, 1253, 1256, 1257; Mk 16:17-18 670, 1507; Mk 16:17 434, 1673; Mk 16:18 699; Mk 16:19 659, 659; Mk 16:20 2, 156, 670
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Reflection:
 
Today we have a little break in our ongoing stories from the Acts of the Apostles as we celebrate the Feast of St. Mark.  As a tribute to him we hear the very end of this shortest of the canonical Gospels.  Many scholars believe St. Mark was thought to be the Mark mentioned in the reading from 1st Peter we also hear today.  He was also thought to be the young man who ran away when Jesus was arrested.  If these assumptions are true, he was very familiar with the Jesus story.
 
Although he was not as eloquent as Matthew or Luke, nor as theologically well-grounded as John, his gospel gives us a view of the disciples that seems unvarnished.  St. Mark lets us identify with a group of followers who were not perfect and did not instantly understand the signs Jesus performed or the Lord’s identity as the Messiah.  His portrait is very believable. It balances well against John’s Gospel in which Jesus himself (in the eyes of the author) has much more foreknowledge than he does according to St. Mark.  Mark uniquely shows us Jesus Christ, true God and true man, most clearly.  Today we see Jesus’ farewell to the apostles as he ascends to the Father.
 
While we are not given the formula of “baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” as we are in Matthew (Matthew 28:19), we can still see the importance placed on that conversion and the indelible change it manifests in each of us.
 
The reading from St. Peter gives us another glimpse into the life of the early Christian community, and reminds us, as a people who share a common faith and purpose, that we are to accept that mantle with humility.  It is a lesson we as a community learned again five decades ago when, following the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, we dropped the "Triumphant Church" attitude of: "If you're not Catholic you're going to hell."  It is a corporate learning experience many of our Protestant brethren are still struggling to learn.
 
We are asked to be open, inviting, and inclusive.  This supports the great paradox of Christ's teaching that we must be part of the world (in order to effect change) but be separate from it to insure we retain the ideals that define us as Christian and Catholic.  Today we go out into the world once more and pray that our Christian identity is obvious to all we meet. 
 
Pax 
 
In other years: Saturday of the Third Week of Easter
 
 

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[1] The picture is “Saint Mark” by Guido Reni, 1621.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] 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.
[4] The Navarre Bible, Revelation and Hebrews and Catholic Letters (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003), 346.

Friday of the Third Week of Easter

Optional Memorial for Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Priest and Martyr

 
Proper readings for the Memorial of Fidelis of Sigmaringen

Biographical information about St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen
 

“The Conversion of St. Paul”
by Parmigianino, 1530’s

Readings for Friday of the Third Week of Easter [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Acts 9:1-20
 
Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,
went to the high priest and asked him
for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that,
if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,
he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.
On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus,
a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"
He said, "Who are you, sir?"
The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do."
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
for they heard the voice but could see no one.
Saul got up from the ground,
but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;
so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.
For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.
 
There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias,
and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias."
He answered, "Here I am, Lord."
The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight
and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul.
He is there praying,
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
come in and lay his hands on him,
that he may regain his sight."
But Ananias replied,
"Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man,
what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests
to imprison all who call upon your name."
But the Lord said to him,
"Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine
to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel,
and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name."
So Ananias went and entered the house;
laying his hands on him, he said,
"Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came,
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes
and he regained his sight.
He got up and was baptized,
and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.
 
He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus,
and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,
that he is the Son of God.
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Commentary on Acts 9:1-20
 
This is the first of three accounts of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, the hero of the second half of the Acts of the Apostles, written by St. Luke (see also Acts 22:1-16 and 26:9-18). With the topic of evangelization of the world already initiated with the story of Philip and the eunuch, St. Luke now focuses on evangelization of the Gentiles.
 
According to these accounts, Saul, the enforcer of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, was an involuntary convert. He was a person of zeal and energy that the Lord turned, as Scripture says, into God’s instrument. Although St. Luke only gives Saul the title “apostle” twice (Acts 14: 4; 14), this passage provides a parallel. Paul sees the Kyrios – the risen Lord; he is called, he is given the gift of the Holy Spirit, and he proclaims Christ crucified.
 
CCC: Acts 9:3-18 639; Acts 9:4-5 598; Acts 9:13 823; Acts 9:14 432; Acts 9:20 442
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 117:1bc, 2
 
R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 117:1bc, 2
 
“This shortest of hymns calls on the nations to acknowledge God's supremacy. The supremacy of Israel's God has been demonstrated to them by the people's secure existence, which is owed entirely to God's gracious fidelity.” [4] Using a refrain from St. Mark’s Gospel, the psalm is one of praise for the Good News of God’s salvation.
 
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Gospel: John 6:52-59
 
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
"How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my Flesh is true food,
and my Blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever."
These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
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Commentary on Jn 6:52-59
 
The “Bread of Life” discourse continues (somewhat redundant with the preceding verses), and the Lord escalates his language. The people who had come to him because they had been fed with the five barley loaves just cannot make the leap from bread made with wheat or barley to the “Bread of Life,” offered as true food and drink for the spirit. Even when he alludes to manna as an example of real food (Exodus 16:1ff), they still do not see that the Son of God offers them his resurrected body as their meal and they are repulsed, especially because of the language he uses (the word “gnaw” is used, not just “eat” in the original texts).
 
Verse 58 (“This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever”) conveys the key purpose to the Lord's discourse, the offer of salvation, eternal life with the Father.  Just as he will later say to the "Good Thief" as they hang on their crosses, "Today you will be with me in Paradise," (Luke 23:43) he speaks to this crowd of the offer he makes available through his sacrifice.
 
CCC: Jn 6 1338; Jn 6:53-56 2837; Jn 6:53 1384; Jn 6:54 994, 1001, 1406, 1509, 1524; Jn 6:56 787, 1391, 1406; Jn 6:57 1391; Jn 6:58 1509
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Reflection:
 
The story of St. Paul’s emotional conversion to Christianity does not say what happened to him in detail once he regained his sight and was baptized.  We are told only: “He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.”  However, knowing what we know about the early Christians, we can be quite confident that he participated in the Eucharistic meal with those who followed “The Way.”
 
What must that re-creation of the meal in the upper room have meant to St. Paul, one educated in Jewish law and tradition?  It followed a familiar pattern; it was like the Passover Meal at the beginning.  But then Jesus, the Kyrios, the Risen Lord, whom he had encountered on the road to Damascus, changed everything.  All his adult life, St. Paul had worshiped a God who accepted his sacrifices and holocausts (burnt offerings) at the temple.  St. Paul knew the psalms and had sung many times the great penitential songs which told of God’s desire for a contrite heart, not the blood of animals.  Here at last was the complete sacrifice, offered time and again for complete forgiveness.
 
We hear in his letters the impact this selfless offering had upon the apostle, made by the Only Son of God.  His zeal in persecuting the Christian community was an episode in his life that would haunt him.  While it was clear that Christ forgave him and St. Paul knew this, we are not convinced that he could ever have forgiven himself.  That is what the Eucharist did for St. Paul.  His numerous encounters with the Broken Bread made him whole and gave him strength. It was the Eucharist that led him to tell the known world of the Savior who gave his life for the sins of all mankind and left them an eternal legacy in his body and blood.
 
As we recall St. Paul’s conversion, let us remember the untold role that his sharing of the Eucharist must have played in his later accomplishments on the part of Christ.  Today we pray for all those who persecute the Church, especially in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, that their eyes might be opened to see the Glory of the Risen Lord and that they be called to his table.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture used is “The Conversion of St. Paul” by Parmigianino, 1530’s.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] 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.
[4] NAB footnote on Ps 117.

Thursday of the Third Week of Easter

Optional Memorial for Saint George, Martyr
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. George
Biographical information for St. George
 
Optional Memorial for Saint Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Adalbert
Biographical information for St. Adalbert

“Philip Baptizing the Ethiopian Eunuch”
by Maerten Jacobz van Heemskerck, c. 1545

Readings for Thursday of the Third Week of Easter [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Acts 8:26-40
 
The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip,
"Get up and head south on the road
that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route."
So he got up and set out.
Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch,
a court official of the Candace,
that is, the queen of the Ethiopians,
in charge of her entire treasury,
who had come to Jerusalem to worship, and was returning home.
Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
The Spirit said to Philip,
"Go and join up with that chariot."
Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said,
"Do you understand what you are reading?"
He replied,
"How can I, unless someone instructs me?"
So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him.
This was the Scripture passage he was reading:
 
Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who will tell of his posterity?
For his life is taken from the earth.
 
Then the eunuch said to Philip in reply,
"I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this?
About himself, or about someone else?"
Then Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this Scripture passage,
he proclaimed Jesus to him.
As they traveled along the road
they came to some water,
and the eunuch said, "Look, there is water.
What is to prevent my being baptized?"
Then he ordered the chariot to stop,
and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water,
and he baptized him.
When they came out of the water,
the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away,
and the eunuch saw him no more,
but continued on his way rejoicing.
Philip came to Azotus, and went about proclaiming the good news
to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
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Commentary on Acts 8:26-40
 
In this story of Philip’s conversion of the eunuch, we are given a strong mystical nudge: first when Philip is instructed by an angel to leave on the trip, and again with his disappearance after the baptism of the eunuch. Scripture scholars point out that this Philip is likely the deacon appointed by the apostles in Acts 6:5 as opposed to the apostle Philip (see also Acts 21:4-8).
 
Even as Philip approaches the eunuch, he finds the process of conversion is set in motion through the oracle of Isaiah 53:7ff.  We are told Philip, when asked about the passage from the "Suffering Servant" oracle, proclaims Christ crucified, the truth of which completes the conversion process and the eunuch requests baptism.  His work of proclamation of the Gospel completed, Philip is "snatched " away to continue spreading the good news in Caesarea.
 
If we read this passage in context with verse numbers, we find v. 37 is not present in either the New American or the Jerusalem Bibles. That is because, in the oldest and best manuscripts, it was not present. But, for our benefit, v. 37 said, responding to the eunuch’s request for baptism: "And Philip said, 'If you believe with all your heart, you may.' And he said in reply, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'"In modern texts it is omitted as probably a later addition by some early Christian redactor.
 
CCC: Acts 8:26-29 334; Acts 8:32-35 601; Acts 8:37 454
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 66:8-9, 16-17, 20
 
R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Bless our God, you peoples,
loudly sound his praise;
He has given life to our souls,
and has not let our feet slip.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
When I appealed to him in words,
praise was on the tip of my tongue.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 66:8-9, 16-17, 20
 
Psalm 66 is a song of thanksgiving. It starts with part of the community blessing of the Lord, and follows with the second and third strophes being individual responses to the communal prayer.
 
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Gospel: John 6:44-51
 
Jesus said to the crowds:
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him,
and I will raise him on the last day.
It is written in the prophets:
 
They shall all be taught by God.
 
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen the Father
except the one who is from God;
he has seen the Father.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my Flesh for the life of the world."
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Commentary on Jn 6:44-51
 
St. John’s “Bread of Life” discourse continues in response to the protest of the crowd. In the first part of the passage, we hear Jesus telling the crowd that no one comes to God unless it is willed by the Father (who sent me). Then Jesus says the remarkable: “and I will raise him on the last day.” This is a clear statement that the Lord has been given the authority to judge the living and the dead on the eschaton (the last day).
 
The Lord makes reference to Isaiah 54:13 (“They shall all be taught by God.”), interpreting the passage as it relates to him as the “teacher” sent by God. He next launches into the answer to the earlier request: "Sir, give us this bread always" (John 6:34) saying: “I am the bread of life.” He follows this reiteration of his identity by recalling God’s salvation of the Hebrew people, who were fleeing Egypt and starving in the desert, but were rescued by God’s gift of manna (Exodus 16:1ff). Then, going further, he tells the crowd that they must eat (John uses the graphic word gnaw) the bread of life to have eternal life, and that the bread he gives them is his life for the salvation of all mankind.
 
CCC: Jn 6 1338; Jn 6:44 259, 591, 1001, 1428; Jn 6:46 151; Jn 6:51 728, 1355, 1406, 2837
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Reflection:
 
We are invited by Scripture to consider how our faith is spread and how we might participate.  The topic is presented in the face of the eucharistic discourse unfolding in St. John’s Gospel which is so central to our spirituality.  The gift of the Bread of Life gives us spiritual strength and purpose, all framed within the context of our daily lives.
 
Look at what is happening in the Acts of the Apostles.  Saul is attacking the Christian community in Jerusalem, and we were told previously that it was the Hellenistic Christians that were most affected. Philip is one of the first of the disciples to leave Jerusalem (note, it is likely that this Philip is the deacon confirmed by the apostles in Acts of the Apostles 6:5), taking the word to Samaria.  In the story today about the Ethiopian eunuch, he is again inspired by an angel to take the word of God farther.
 
Philip did not plan to go out and evangelize.  He is just going on his way and suddenly feels the Lord’s message to catch up with the eunuch.  They begin to talk, as travelers sometimes do, about things of faith (actually Philip sees he is studying Isaiah and jumps in).  We can see where this leads.  The eunuch is baptized in Christ. And while his story is not recorded in Scripture, we must assume, based upon the fervor of his faith, that he took the Gospel to his destination and the word spread.
 
Poor Saul, he thought that by persecuting the Christians he could stop the spread of the word.  It is like trying to contain water. It flows wherever there is a course for it to follow, and it evaporates, falling as rain. When it is used to baptize it seems to multiply.
 
But back to St. Philip’s example, we note that he did not consciously seek out the eunuch.  Rather he was prepared to offer him the Word of God when the opportunity presented itself.  He was not intrusive or obnoxious about it; he offered.  More importantly he was competent to take up the role of teacher/evangelist.  He had formed himself through his long journey with the Lord before Jesus died and was full of a lively faith.
 
This is St. Philip’s gift to us.  He shows us that we must form ourselves first, so that we are ready when the opportunity to share our faith with others presents itself.  That does not mean we all have to be scholars of the faith.  It does mean we should spend time forming ourselves in prayer, in Scripture, and spending time among our brothers and sisters in the faith, learning from them.  The more we know, the more we can share.  Of course, we strengthen ourselves with the Bread of Life and the grace we receive in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
 
Philip also showed us that we do not have to beat people up to make them accept Christ.  We engage them where they are on their own journey of faith.  We travel with them for a while, sharing what we have, and listening to understand what we can share that may help them.  Indeed, Philip has much to teach us (a good example of the diaconal servant ministry).
 
Today we again marvel at how God works in the lives of his children.  We pray that, like St. Philip, we might bring God’s gift to others and by doing so participate in our call.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture used is “Philip Baptizing the Ethiopian Eunuch” by Maerten Jacobz van Heemskerck, c. 1545.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] 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.