Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena

 
Biographical information about St. Catherine of Siena

"The Ecstasy of St Catherine of Siena"
by Pompeo Batoni, 1743

Readings for Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Acts 12:24—13:5a
 
The word of God continued to spread and grow.
 
After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission,
they returned to Jerusalem,
taking with them John, who is called Mark.
 
Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
"Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them."
Then, completing their fasting and prayer,
they laid hands on them and sent them off.
 
So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit,
went down to Seleucia
and from there sailed to Cyprus.
When they arrived in Salamis,
they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues.
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Commentary on Acts 12:24—13:5a
 
In this story from Acts we hear of St. Paul’s first missionary effort into Asia Minor. There is some discussion about v. 24.  Some translations say Barnabas and Saul returned "to Jerusalem" while others say they returned "from Jerusalem."  Since, from this point forward, St. Luke focuses on the Church at Antioch, we will assume they returned "from" Jerusalem.
 
The structure of the community at Antioch is described in some detail.  Not only did they have leadership ordained to lead the assembly, but they also had "prophets and teachers."  These individuals had special roles within the community.  It is clear that they were having liturgical celebrations, almost certainly eucharistic in character.  In the context of communal worship, the Holy Spirit influences missionary action through prophets and teachers.
 
The members ordain a task for Barnabas and Saul; "they laid hands on them," sending them on their journey. Note, the effort begins in the synagogues on Cyprus. The word spreads.
 
CCC: Acts 13:2 1070; Acts 13:3 699, 2632
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6 and 8
 
R. (4) O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6 and 8
 
Psalm 67 is a blessing and has elements of the ancient blessing of Aaron from Numbers 6:22ff. This blessing has more of a plaintive tone (a group lament), or petition asking for a bountiful harvest. This selection points to the universal salvation promised by God to all the peoples.
 
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Gospel: John 12:44-50
 
Jesus cried out and said,
"Whoever believes in me believes not only in me
but also in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I came into the world as light,
so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.
And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,
I do not condemn him,
for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words
has something to judge him: the word that I spoke,
it will condemn him on the last day,
because I did not speak on my own,
but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.
And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
So what I say, I say as the Father told me."
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 12:44-50
 
Setting the stage for this passage from St. John’s Gospel, we find Jesus in the temple precincts again, this time after his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. He has been teaching, and while many believed that he was the Messiah, the Pharisees were intimidating many present and most did not acknowledge this belief. Jesus expresses his frustration in this passage as we hear: “Jesus cried out and said, 'Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me.'”
 
Jesus goes on to explain that he and the Father are one, and that, not only was he sent by God, but that all he said was from God. We note also that Jesus says that those who do not believe in him will not be condemned by the Lord; rather they condemn themselves through their own actions, and will be so judged on the last day.
 
CCC: Jn 12:46 2466; Jn 12:48 679; Jn 12:49 1039
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Reflection:
 
We are still in Eastertide and St. John’s Gospel continues to bring home the point that Jesus, who was crucified and rose from the dead, is one with God, is of God and is both messenger and message.  That final part of the Lord’s example is what we need to focus on in our own lives.
 
The Scripture from the Acts of the Apostles shows us how a second generation of evangelists was formed and sent out.  The Word of God was well and truly launched into new territory.  The mission of Christ on earth was on its way to the people of the whole Roman Empire, not just the little corner of Palistine.
 
Christ came into the world and, in his public ministry, gathered people about him that could emulate him.  That means people who could not just live the nomadic life of one sent to spread the Good News throughout the land, but also those who could conform their minds and hearts to his.  What is in the mind and in the heart will be seen in actions that unfold through that impulse.
 
That is what is meant when we say that Jesus was both messenger and message.  He not only told us what we must do to follow the will of God but showed us what that means through his own example.  Can we profess Christ Crucified, and act as though that event had no bearing on what we do and how we react to the world?
 
How many times have we prayed: “God, please show me what you want me to do.  Show me the way to serve you best.”  In our listening silence do we hear the whisper: “I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness”?  We must ask ourselves in those situations what is the message and how should the messenger communicate it.
 
He didn’t say it would be easy.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is "The Ecstasy of St Catherine of Siena" by Pompeo Batoni, 1743.
[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.

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Optional Memorial for Saint Peter Chanel, Priest and Martyr
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Peter Chanel 
 
Biographical information about St. Peter Chanel
 
Or
 
Optional Memorial for Saint Louis Mary De Montfort, Priest
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Louis Mary De Montfort 
 
Biographical information about St. Louis Mary De Montfort

“Paul and Barnabas at Lystra”
by Nicolaes Berchem, 1650

 Readings for Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Acts 11:19-26
 
Those who had been scattered by the persecution
that arose because of Stephen
went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,
preaching the word to no one but Jews.
There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however,
who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well,
proclaiming the Lord Jesus.
The hand of the Lord was with them
and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,
and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.
When he arrived and saw the grace of God,
he rejoiced and encouraged them all
to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,
for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.
And a large number of people was added to the Lord.
Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch.
For a whole year they met with the Church
and taught a large number of people,
and it was in Antioch that the disciples
were first called Christians.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Acts 11:19-26
 
The story in Acts refers to Acts 8:1-4, the flight of the Christian faithful from Jerusalem following the death of St. Stephen. It is significant in the life of the Church for a few reasons. First, as a consequence of bringing a large number of non-Jews to believe in Christ, namely the Gentile converts, and because the Gentile converts had no historical connection to Judaism, these converts identified themselves for the first time as Christians – separate from Judaism. We note the action of the Holy Spirit is credited with this successful evangelization (as did St. John Chrysostom in his Homily on Acts 25 where he said: “Notice, that it is grace which does everything. And also reflect on the fact that this work is begun by unknown workers and only when it begins to prosper do the apostles send Barnabas.”).[4] This new vitality attracted not only Barnabas but Saul as well.
 
The second reason this event is so important is that it tells us Christianity has traveled to Antioch, the third city in the Roman Empire with a population of over a half million (behind Rome and Alexandria). The spread of the Gospel is tremendously accelerated from this point.
 
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7
 
R. (117:1a) All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
His foundation upon the holy mountains
the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
more than any dwelling of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,
O city of God!
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
I tell of Egypt and Babylon
among those who know the LORD;
Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia:
"This man was born there."
And of Zion they shall say:
"One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her
is the Most High LORD."
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:
"This man was born there."
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:
"My home is within you."
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7
 
This post-exilic song was probably sung by pilgrims from around the known world returning to Jerusalem to celebrate in God’s holy city the joys of his bounty. The psalm proclaims the centrality of Jerusalem (Zion) as the source of holiness. The psalmist sings of how Jerusalem is the mother of faith and that, by implication, all are joined to her in faith. Seen in the light of Christ, this unity can also be applied to the Church which brings all peoples to itself. Again, we see the messianic call carried within the hymn.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: John 10:22-30
 
The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem.
It was winter.
And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.
So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,
"How long are you going to keep us in suspense?
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."
Jesus answered them, "I told you and you do not believe.
The works I do in my Father's name testify to me.
But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.
My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can take them out of the Father's hand.
The Father and I are one."
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 10:22-30
 
This is the conclusion of Jesus’ debates with the Jewish leadership. He is in the temple precincts at this point. He came there at a time when many of those from all over the region would be there, the feast of Hanukkah. They press him to state plainly whether he is the Messiah. His final response, again using the “Good Shepherd” analogy, is a chain of logic that leads to his final statement: “The Father and I are one.”
 
This passage is set within the great discourse of Jesus at the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple. The topic sets the stage for the second theme, “Jesus the life.” [The first theme was “Jesus as light.”] The “Good Shepherd” takes the sheep, his flock, as his own possession, represented by the faithful. As this passage concludes, we hear conclusively that the Lord is one with the Father, truly God as well as true man. “The Lord utters one of his ‘hard sayings’ which evoke the wrath of the Jews, ‘the Father and I are one.’ In context, Jesus is amplifying his statement that no one can snatch the sheep from him because they have been given him by the father; Father and Son are one in mind, will, and action.”[5]
 
“The shepherd was often depicted as the self-sacrificing caretaker of sheep who was dedicated to their well-being, brought back strays, and kept them safe from the many dangers of the world (cf. 1 Samuel 17:34-35; Psalm 23:2; Amos 3:12; Matthew 18:12). Thus the Lord was the Shepherd of Israel in poetic language (Genesis 49:24; Psalm 80:2). He led his people through the desert like a shepherd leading his flock (Psalm 77:20; Psalm 78:52). The trust that the Israelite should have in the Lord is epitomized by Psalm 23.”[6]
 
CCC: Jn 10:22-23 583; Jn 10:25 548, 582; Jn 10:30 590
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
We see a question and an answer in Scripture today. The question is asked in the Gospel, and we find it in our hearts rather than in our minds. We have, for the past several days, been hearing the great “Good Shepherd” discourse. In the Gospel, St. John makes reference to that exchange through Jesus’ response to the Jews, who are asking him to say explicitly that he is the Messiah.
 
The Lord must be frustrated with this question (“I told you and you do not believe”). If he says: “I am the Messiah,” many of the leaders will accuse him of blasphemy and come after him immediately. In addition, the messiah many of them expect (probably including Judas, one of his own disciples) is the royal messiah. The royal messiah is a great hero sent by God, who comes in power and majesty to cast down the Romans. That is not what he is, not what they expect.
 
Rather than trying to go back to the beginning and explain all the prophecy that has already pointed at his true mission and identity, the Lord uses a logic chain to bring them to understand his relationship to the Father. “The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me,” he tells them. And then, probably with that note of sadness in his voice, he continues saying that they do not know who he is because they are incapable of making the leap of faith necessary. It is like a child struggling with a math problem, trying to do it in their head, and failing because it is too big. Or it is like the painting with two different images buried within it; some people just can’t see both. It is not their fault. And the Lord finally concludes, saying it as clearly as he can: “The Father and I are one.”
 
We said in the beginning there was a question here and there it is, for all of us. We believe in Jesus, the Christ, who is one with the Father. Our faith allows us to make that connection. The question is not “Do we believe”: it is “What do we do with that belief?”
 
The answer to that question is there as well. Jesus said: “The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me.” Can we say the same? People we meet should not even pause for a second to ask if we have adopted that proud name first used in Antioch, Christian. Our actions should make that clear. Today we are challenged by the Gospel once more. We are called to act like Christians, to love Christ, to love each other, and to take that message into the world like the sheep of the Good Shepherd who sends us. During this time of waiting, we must work to provide those acts of love that best exemplify our love of Christ.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture used is “Paul and Barnabas at Lystra” by Nicolaes Berchem, 1650.
[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, Gospels and Acts (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002), 790-91.
[5] Jerome Biblical Commentary (Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968), 63:119, p. 445.
[6] Hann, Scott (Catholic Bible Dictionary, ©2009), 839.

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

“St Peter and Cornelius the Centurion”
by Bernardo Cavallino, c. 1640

 
Readings for Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Acts 11:1-18
 
The Apostles and the brothers who were in Judea
heard that the Gentiles too had accepted the word of God.
So when Peter went up to Jerusalem
the circumcised believers confronted him, saying,
'You entered the house of uncircumcised people and ate with them."
Peter began and explained it to them step by step, saying,
"I was at prayer in the city of Joppa
when in a trance I had a vision,
something resembling a large sheet coming down,
lowered from the sky by its four corners, and it came to me.
Looking intently into it,
I observed and saw the four-legged animals of the earth,
the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky.
I also heard a voice say to me, 'Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat.'
But I said, 'Certainly not, sir,
because nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'
But a second time a voice from heaven answered,
'What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.'
This happened three times,
and then everything was drawn up again into the sky.
Just then three men appeared at the house where we were,
who had been sent to me from Caesarea.
The Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating.
These six brothers also went with me,
and we entered the man's house.
He related to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, saying,
'Send someone to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter,
who will speak words to you
by which you and all your household will be saved.'
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them
as it had upon us at the beginning,
and I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said,
'John baptized with water
but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
If then God gave them the same gift he gave to us
when we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,
who was I to be able to hinder God?"
When they heard this,
they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying,
"God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too."
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Acts 11:1-18
 
This passage makes it clear that, at this early point in the development of the Church, Christians still considered themselves to be of the Jewish faith (much like the Messianic Jews of today). But they too have come to the realization that God had fulfilled his messianic promise. “The Jewish Christians of Jerusalem were scandalized to learn of Peter's sojourn in the house of the Gentile Cornelius. Nonetheless, they had to accept the divine directions given to both Peter and Cornelius. They concluded that the setting aside of the legal barriers between Jew and Gentile was an exceptional ordinance of God to indicate that the apostolic kerygma was also to be directed to the Gentiles.” [4]
 
CCC: Acts 11:14 1655
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm:42-3; 43:3, 4
 
R. (see 3a) Athirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
As the hind longs for the running waters,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling-place.
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps:42-3; 43:3, 4
 
Psalms 42 and 43 form a single continuous song.  It is an individual lament for a return to Jerusalem where God may be encountered in the temple.  The hind's (female red deer's) longing for water is used to provide the allusion to baptism, bringing belief out of unbelief.
 
CCC: Ps 42:3 2112
-------------------------------------------
Gospel:  John 10:11-18
Jesus said:
“I am the good shepherd.
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
A hired man, who is not a shepherd
and whose sheep are not his own,
sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,
and the wolf catches and scatters them.
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.
These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
This is why the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.
I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.
This command I have received from my Father.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 10:11-18
We come to the climax of Jesus' debates with the Jewish leadership. This discourse intensifies our consideration of the topic of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Here the Lord differentiates his love for humanity against those who do not take ownership of their charge. "'He did what he said he would do,' St. Gregory comments; 'He gave his life for his sheep, and he gave his body and blood in the sacrament to nourish with His flesh the sheep He had redeemed' (In Evangelia Homilae, 14, ad loc.)." [5]

The Lord is in the temple precincts at this point. He came there at a time when many Jews from all over the region would be there, the feast of Hanukkah. Here he contrasts himself (the Good Shepherd) with false shepherds (see Ezekiel 34:1-16), presumably the Pharisees who fail to recognize him as the Messiah.

Using the analogy of the sheepfold, he reminds the listener that all manner of people may enter a sheepfold. Those “false shepherds” scatter the sheep and they fall to utter ruin. But only the rightful owner will be recognized by the sheep and find safety (salvation). The analogy concludes with the universal statement of unity “there will be one flock, one shepherd."

The final verses speak directly of Jesus’ death and resurrection for the salvation of all: “I lay down my life in order to take it up again.” Special emphasis is placed on Jesus’ ability to lay his life down and take it up through the power he has been given by the Father. We note a contrast here between God’s active role in the resurrection (see Acts 2:24; Acts 4:10.; Romans 1:4; 4:24.) with Jesus' stated power to take up his own life. But even here, credit is given to the Father (“This command I have received from my Father.")

CCC: 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:
 
The Gospel for Monday continues the Good Shepherd message of the Fourth Sunday of Easter. The emphasis throughout is that Jesus is the way to God’s kingdom, the source of salvation. Again, it is unambiguous and is routinely used by some, to whom the adjective “elitist” belongs, to describe in no uncertain terms that if you have not made some sort of public profession about Jesus you are not saved.
 
There is a great joke running around on the web about a thermodynamics professor who asked on an exam: “Is hell endothermic or exothermic?”  That is, is hell growing or shrinking (literally is it drawing heat from its environment or is it radiating heat)? The question went further and asked for a proof. I will not go through the whole text of the story here because it is a bit long and supposedly won the student whose answer was published an “A” on the exam. One part of the answer given, though, does seem appropriate. The student contended that every Christian denomination in the world had claimed at some point that, if you did not believe and worship God the way they did, you were going to hell. The logic was that everyone must therefore end up in hell. (Along those same lines, I saw a bumper sticker a while back that said: “If it ain’t King James it ain’t Bible.” In my weaker moments I’ve always thought of having a bumper sticker for Catholics say, “My Bible is bigger than your Bible,” but that would be childish.)
 
The Catholic Church went through a period where this was the case, probably several periods, in which some of the worst atrocities were committed against people in the name of God. It is truly amazing, as students of Church history know, that the Church has survived in spite of itself. The attitude in the Church truly changed in the 1960s in response to Vatican II. Understanding Christ’s will and intent is a dynamic process and growth always follows discernment.
 
In spite of these changes, we must know that all of the things the Church, or any part of it, has done in its 2,000 year history, considered by today’s standards to be barbaric, are still being taught by many of the anti-Catholic groups as being current teachings, and as condoned by the modern Church. (We will not provide web addresses here, but if you think Christians are one in Christ, do a web search on “Catholic” and see what turns up. If you have not done this before, do it when you have some time to calm down afterwards because some of what is out there will make your blood boil.)
 
Fortunately for us, our first pope, St. Peter the apostle, has given us the example we must take to heart. In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we see him getting instruction from God about all mankind being invited to follow Christ. He speaks of how one baptism, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, binds us all to one truth. Thank God that the same Holy Spirit works among us today. Our prayer today is for Christian unity, and that the name of Jesus is taken to every part of the world that there might be “one shepherd and one flock.”
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture used is “St Peter and Cornelius the Centurion” by Bernardo Cavallino, c. 1640.
[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 Acts 11:1-18.
[5] The Navarre Bible, Gospels and Acts (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002), 625

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
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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.