& Saint Pius V, Pope
Biographical Information about St. Pius V[1]
Readings for Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Univesalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 11:1-18
The footnote from the NAB on this passage does a good job –“ 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.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 42:2-3; 43:3, 4
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
Psalm 42 is an individual lament for a return to Jerusalem where God may be encountered in the temple. For us this longing is for the Lord and the reference to running water links us to the baptism described in Acts.
Gospel Jn 10:1-10
The “Good Shepherd” discourse is continued from Sunday’s Gospel. St. John records Jesus’ criticism of the Pharisees. They, of course, do not believe he is the Messiah and therefore do not follow him and think they will enter the kingdom of heaven another way (climb over the fence).
Jesus uses this metaphor in support of his earlier statement “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him” (John 6; 44). Jesus is the gate and gatekeeper and comes for the salvation of the sheep.
Reflection:
It is appropriate that today we remember Pope Pius V who started his life as a shepherd and later, as Bishop and then Pope took up the crook that was then a crosier. It reminds us that today we should all pray for our Pope and Bishops who have the tremendous job of guiding the Church and who are custodians of its teaching magesterium.
Our special prayer goes today to Bishop Carl F. Mengling, Bishop of Lansing who is recovering from surgery and whose condition is far from certain. While we are in a mood to pray for people, today I would also like prayers for Alisha Hankins who was taken ill over the weekend and Michael who a year ago was rescued from death the miracle of life through a liver transplant and today must mourn two of his three sons 15 and 12, taken from him in a automobile accident. May the God of mercy and healing send the Holy Spirit to all who are in pain and need of healing.
We don’t usually use this space for prayers for specific individuals, but today as we celebrate once more him who came as our shepherd, it is appropriate that we remember what a shepherd does for his flock. He not only leads them to green pastures and flowing streams but he watches over them, protecting them from harm. While in the case of those for whom we pray today, physical harm is always waiting for all of us; our shepherd sends his strength to heal from within. We are given through the Holy Spirit, that sense of peace that comes from complete faith in the Good Shepherd who will keep us safe in his loving arms.
Pax
[1] The image today is “Pius V” by El Greco, 1600-1610
[2] After Links Expire
Biographical Information about St. Pius V[1]
Readings for Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Univesalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 11:1-18
The footnote from the NAB on this passage does a good job –“ 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.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 42:2-3; 43:3, 4
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
Psalm 42 is an individual lament for a return to Jerusalem where God may be encountered in the temple. For us this longing is for the Lord and the reference to running water links us to the baptism described in Acts.
Gospel Jn 10:1-10
The “Good Shepherd” discourse is continued from Sunday’s Gospel. St. John records Jesus’ criticism of the Pharisees. They, of course, do not believe he is the Messiah and therefore do not follow him and think they will enter the kingdom of heaven another way (climb over the fence).
Jesus uses this metaphor in support of his earlier statement “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him” (John 6; 44). Jesus is the gate and gatekeeper and comes for the salvation of the sheep.
Reflection:
It is appropriate that today we remember Pope Pius V who started his life as a shepherd and later, as Bishop and then Pope took up the crook that was then a crosier. It reminds us that today we should all pray for our Pope and Bishops who have the tremendous job of guiding the Church and who are custodians of its teaching magesterium.
Our special prayer goes today to Bishop Carl F. Mengling, Bishop of Lansing who is recovering from surgery and whose condition is far from certain. While we are in a mood to pray for people, today I would also like prayers for Alisha Hankins who was taken ill over the weekend and Michael who a year ago was rescued from death the miracle of life through a liver transplant and today must mourn two of his three sons 15 and 12, taken from him in a automobile accident. May the God of mercy and healing send the Holy Spirit to all who are in pain and need of healing.
We don’t usually use this space for prayers for specific individuals, but today as we celebrate once more him who came as our shepherd, it is appropriate that we remember what a shepherd does for his flock. He not only leads them to green pastures and flowing streams but he watches over them, protecting them from harm. While in the case of those for whom we pray today, physical harm is always waiting for all of us; our shepherd sends his strength to heal from within. We are given through the Holy Spirit, that sense of peace that comes from complete faith in the Good Shepherd who will keep us safe in his loving arms.
Pax
[1] The image today is “Pius V” by El Greco, 1600-1610
[2] After Links Expire
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