Fourth Sunday of Easter

Lectionary: 50

Reading I

Acts 4:8-12

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said:
“Leaders of the people and elders:
If we are being examined today
about a good deed done to a cripple,
namely, by what means he was saved,
then all of you and all the people of Israel should know
that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean
whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead;
in his name this man stands before you healed.
He is the stone rejected by you, the builders,
    which has become the cornerstone.
There is no salvation through anyone else,
nor is there any other name under heaven
given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”
 

 

Responsorial Psalm

118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29

R.  (22) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R.  Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
    for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
    than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
    than to trust in princes.
R.  The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
    and have been my savior.
The stone which the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
    it is wonderful in our eyes.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
    we bless you from the house of the LORD.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
    and have been my savior.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
    for his kindness endures forever.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reading II

1 Jn 3:1-2

Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.

Alleluia

Jn 10:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Jn 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.”

 

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is upon us. This is known as Good Shepherd Sunday. It is where Jesus further defines His relationship with us. All of His actions and all of His deeds are directed towards us individually and as a whole so as to bring us closer to Him. The sheep, as defined, are all of peoples of the world; everyone in God’s creation. We are constantly being called to enter into relationship with Jesus. This call is evident in our consciousness and in our subconscious. Even when we find ourselves questioning who Jesus is and even if there is a higher power it is in reaction to this call. We cannot get away from it. It defines who we are and where we are going in our lives. Those who insist that there is no God are actually in a state of rebellion in reaction to this call while those of us who are actively seeking out Jesus Christ; trying to deepen our relationship with Him are in the same boat. No one is exempt from being affected by Jesus’ call. Just because some are in denial doesn’t mean they are not affected. They are just refusing to acknowledge Him which is a reaction in itself.

We are not puppets. Jesus does not pull our strings and make us do things which we do not want to do. We are given a choice either to accept Him or reject Him. This is a part of what a shepherd does. A shepherd does not scream, beat, or demand those whom he guides. The shepherd cajoles, guides, and gently makes adjustments so the flock goes into the right direction. There is a very intimate relationship between the shepherd and the flock which is based on a trust that can only developed through time and patience. Jesus has infinite patience while many of us need to develop this same patience and understanding. This is an ongoing process; taking time and dedication to achieve a good relationship. In the Gospel Reading today Jesus indicates that He has already made the commitment to us; giving up His life for us and offering everything to us so that we may be afforded every opportunity to achieve salvation and greatness. We have the choice to respond positively to that call and let Jesus in or we can walk away.

Walking away from the shepherd is very much like a sheep that leaves the flock and starts meandering off alone. The sheep is vulnerable; exposed to many dangers which include predators and those who want to do it harm. Sheep cannot defend themselves and are helpless without the shepherd. This is something that we all are encouraged to consider if the choice is to ignore the shepherd and go astray from the flock. In the flock there is protection. Away from the flock there is danger and threats that cannot be dealt with alone. Even though we all enjoy our independence and free will there is a consequence to not staying intimate with Jesus and refusing to let Him guide us. Our past experiences are evidence of this if we analyze them honestly. It can be argued that we all have had experiences with Jesus and without Him. Which ones were better?

 

It is a guarantee that all of us will find ourselves lost and alone at one point or another in our lives. As God’s Children we naturally tend to stray which is a bi-product of our free will and Original Sin. The wonderful thing is that no matter how far that we wander off our shepherd, Jesus Christ, is always there calling us to come back. He offers us good counsel, encouragement, strength, and above all mercy. He is always here to heal our wounds and make us better people through His presence. Jesus is the one thing we can count on if we only recognize that He is here for us.

 

The First Letter of John is a powerful testament to our relationship with God. We are indeed His children and this is the way He views us. We are being raised by Him and protected by Him at all times. Even though we may think we are adults, in God’s eyes we will always be His children. When this is recognized we are then separated from society and set aside in a very special way. Accepting our birthright means that we have put God above the earthly temptations that surround us. People will look at us differently because of that but that is only because their eyes have not been opened yet and they are blinded by the materialism which surround them. In this respect we pray for those individuals and constantly invite them to join us. The separation of the sheep and goats has already begun. We are constantly being offered a choice as to which side we are to adjoin ourselves with. It we keep focusing on our relationship with Jesus Christ then the choice will become more and more evident as we proceed forward. The Love of Jesus will envelope us and a true life with Him will be revealed. We are the sheep and He is the Shepherd.

 

Deacon Tom

 

 

 

 

 

Third Sunday of Easter

 

Lectionary: 47

 

 

Reading I

 

Acts 3:13-15, 17-19

 

Peter said to the people:

 

“The God of Abraham,

 

the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,

 

the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus,

 

whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence

 

when he had decided to release him.

 

You denied the Holy and Righteous One

 

and asked that a murderer be released to you.

 

The author of life you put to death,

 

but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.

 

Now I know, brothers,

 

that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did;

 

but God has thus brought to fulfillment

 

what he had announced beforehand

 

through the mouth of all the prophets,

 

that his Christ would suffer.

 

Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.”

 

 

Responsorial Psalm

 

4:2, 4, 7-8, 9

 

R.  (7a) Lord, let your face shine on us.

 

or:

 

R.  Alleluia.

 

When I call, answer me, O my just God,

 

    you who relieve me when I am in distress;

 

    have pity on me, and hear my prayer!

 

R.  Lord, let your face shine on us.

 

or:

 

R.  Alleluia.

 

Know that the LORD does wonders for his faithful one;

 

    the LORD will hear me when I call upon him.

 

R.  Lord, let your face shine on us.

 

or:

 

R.  Alleluia.

 

O LORD, let the light of your countenance shine upon us!

 

    You put gladness into my heart.

 

R.  Lord, let your face shine on us.

 

or:

 

R.  Alleluia.

 

As soon as I lie down, I fall peacefully asleep,

 

    for you alone, O LORD,

 

    bring security to my dwelling.

 

R.  Lord, let your face shine on us.

 

or:

 

R.  Alleluia.

 

 

Reading II

 

1 Jn 2:1-5a

 

My children, I am writing this to you

 

so that you may not commit sin.

 

But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,

 

Jesus Christ the righteous one.

 

He is expiation for our sins,

 

and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.

 

The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep

 

his commandments.

 

Those who say, “I know him,” but do not keep his commandments

 

are liars, and the truth is not in them.

 

But whoever keeps his word,

 

the love of God is truly perfected in him.

 

 

Alleluia

 

Cf. Lk 24:32

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Lord Jesus, open the Scriptures to us;

 

make our hearts burn while you speak to us.

 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

       

Gospel

 

Lk 24:35-48

 

The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way,

 

and how Jesus was made known to them

 

in the breaking of bread.

 

 

While they were still speaking about this,

 

he stood in their midst and said to them,

 

“Peace be with you.”

 

But they were startled and terrified

 

and thought that they were seeing a ghost.

 

Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled?

 

And why do questions arise in your hearts?

 

Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.

 

Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones

 

as you can see I have.”

 

And as he said this,

 

he showed them his hands and his feet.

 

While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,

 

he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?”

 

They gave him a piece of baked fish;

 

he took it and ate it in front of them.

 

 

He said to them,

 

“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,

 

that everything written about me in the law of Moses

 

and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.”

 

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

 

And he said to them,

 

“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer

 

and rise from the dead on the third day

 

and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,

 

would be preached in his name

 

to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

 

You are witnesses of these things.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 

 

We continue our celebration of The Resurrection of Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ with the Resurrection Narrative from the Gospel of Luke. Here we read about two disciples who were walking away from Jerusalem distraught about the death of Jesus. Confused and saddened they were either fleeing for their lives or returning to their home village. It is on the road to Emmaus where they encountered The Resurrected Christ and recognized Him through The Breaking of the Bread. Jesus took the time and effort to comfort them, making them understand the reality of the events that had transpired over the past several days and how it was all foretold in The Sacred Scriptures. There was an intimate interaction between the two disciples and Jesus. Making it even more impactful was the fact that the two disciples in question were not members of Jesus’ Inner Circle (The Twelve) and who, based on the information we have, would not be considered important in perspective to Jesus’ ministry.

 

 

Jesus chose to appear to these two lost sheep and bring them back into the fold. He used them, insignificant in the eyes of many, to be bearers of The Good News of The Resurrected Christ. He even gave them instruction so as to prepare them for their future ministry. This continues a pattern of behavior where Jesus uses the weak to make the strong in this world look foolish. Jesus’ mere presence lifts them up above any and all persons who either have denied or have not accepted Him as The Son of God. They were witness to The Resurrected Christ and immediately believed; validating with their eyes what they felt in their hearts the entire time they were with Him.

 

 

Jesus Christ dwells within all of us and we are encouraged to encounter Him in The Eucharist as the two disciples did in The Breaking of the Bread. Jesus gave us The Eucharist as a way to encounter Him physically, mentally, and spiritually just as the two disciples did. He told us in the Gospel of John, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” This is a direct reference to His presence within the Eucharist which He further emphasized at The Last Supper saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.” He did the same with the cup of wine described as the cup of the new covenant in blood (The Gospel of Luke). Upon the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus The Breaking of the Bread became the central theme of worship and a tenet of the Christian Faith.

 

 

It is through a relationship with Jesus Christ, including the consumption of The Eucharist, that our eyes can be opened and we can experience the awesome love of Jesus Christ. We are no different than the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Even in the presence of great miracles and the feeling of the presence of Jesus in our hearts our eyes can still be closed to the truth; literally blinded by the secular world around us. Yet Jesus tells us time and time again: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open to you.” Jesus guarantees this. This is what a relationship with Jesus brings about: trust and a promise that He will be here with us. The Eucharist is a precious tool that cannot be ignored and it is something that we should not abstain from in our lives. It offers us an encounter with Jesus and enables us to merge completely with the one who loves us the most.

 

The Apostle John tells us that by following God’s commandments are how we can get to know God and how we can encounter Jesus Christ. Sin is the obstacle that prevents us from entering into relationship with God. We are never going to be perfect and there will be times when we will blindly stumble through life; losing our way and finding ourselves subconsciously distancing ourselves from Jesus. It is through Jesus Christ that we regain out sight and how we can truly know God. John further writes: “He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.” We heard a lot about this last week on Divine Mercy Sunday. Jesus Christ has already made the ultimate sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. God has already forgiven all of our wrongs. It is us who need to accept that mercy and forgiveness that pours out into the world all of the time. He is constantly trying to heal the world and bring back God’s creation into perfect health.

 

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ lifted up all of God’s creation and opened the eyes of everyone. Those who remain blind are blind by their own choice. We are commissioned to pray for those individuals; making ourselves conduits of Jesus’ mercy and love. We also need to remember that in order for us to spread Jesus’ mercy and love we have to be ready to receive it and welcome it wholeheartedly. This means a constant maintenance of our relationship with Him and a commitment to stay close to Him. If we don’t we can find ourselves walking away from Him to Emmaus instead of towards Him to Jerusalem.

 

Deacon Tom

 

 

 

My Brothers and Sisters,

 

 Jesus Christ is indeed made known to us through the Breaking of the Bread. Through the celebration of the mass, we gather together in community to share our love for God  worshipping and praising Him. We come forward as we are: broken and sinful. It is through this gathering that we ask for forgiveness and His love. Reading from Sacred Scripture, we are nourished mentally and spiritually by the Words of God. Our hearts and minds are focused intently on the one who created us and whom we call Father. We then do what Jesus Christ instructs us to do: We celebrate the Breaking of the Bread and receive Him physically, mentally, and spiritually through this action. We are joined together with our savior and our God.

What a beautiful gift Jesus Christ has given us. We are loved so much that our joy is His joy and our pain is His pain. As it was with Jesus and His disciples, everything is shared. We feed off of Jesus and also each other. There are no judgments here; only empathy and love. The love that is present through our relationship with Jesus Christ is constantly at work within us and is constantly at work to bring us to perfection. This perfection is the promise of salvation and is revealed through Sacred Scripture, prayer, the worship of God. It is a journey that will last a lifetime. There will be many challenges but these will make us stronger and heal us in the face of any opposition.

 

Through the readings today we are given instructions regarding how to approach our relationship with Jesus Christ. The process is not completed once but is repeated throughout our lives. It is centered in constant renewal and healing through Jesus Christ. We are sinners. This will never change until we are with God. Because of this, we are invited to come forward, confess our sins, repent, and be forgiven. As Peter said, “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away." Wiped away means that they are gone and forgotten by God. We then become new creations through Jesus Christ as long as we are honest and true to ourselves and Jesus Christ. In other words, we are truly sorry for what we have done and make an effort to change our ways. It is a surrendering of our will in favor of giving our lives over to Him who loves us and created us.

 

The Apostle John is a little harsher in His words but it is because of the importance of what he is saying. The Commandments are a tool to bring us closer to God. They are a Code of Conduct and a starting point in our relationship with Jesus. We cannot profess our faith and love in Jesus Christ without letting Him transform us. John is preaching a perfection that cannot be reached but that is not the point. It is something we should constantly keep in mind and strive for. Correcting our own conduct, with the help of Jesus Christ and all those in our community, will lead to a change in ourselves for the better. The day that we cease to change is the day when we start to fall away from Jesus Christ.

 

Each day is a new beginning and a great opportunity to bring ourselves closer to Jesus. The closer we get to Him the more our lives will take on a new meaning. This meaning is one that is centered in truth and love.

 

 

Deacon Tom

 

 

My sisters and brothers in the Lord,

 

Here are two phrases from our first two readings today:  “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away,” and “I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin.”

 

We can ask why there is so much focus on sin on this Third Sunday of Easter?  Perhaps because the Gospel today tells us “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

 

At times we can wonder if our world even believes in sin anymore.  There is such a focus on the goodness of people even as we see our world slowly crumbling away around us because of all of the wars and hatreds and conflicts.

 

Jesus comes to be our Savior, but so many today do not want a Savior.  Instead, we humans want pleasure, money and sex.  We should not be surprised that the world is a mess.  The world has always been a mess and that is why a Savior came for us.  But salvation is never imposed on us.  Instead, we are invited to live our lives in the way our Savior taught us and actually know the difference in our way of life.

 

Easter is about the death of Jesus and then His Resurrection.  Each of us is invited to share in that death and resurrection and to die to ourselves so that we can live in Christ Jesus and live the way that He lived.  His followers did not believe at first that He was raised from the dead.  Instead, they had fled from the whole situation and only after a few brave women began to visit the tomb did the word go out:  He is not there!  Do you think that…..

 

We are invited in this time of Easter to deepen our faith in the risen Christ by renewing again the promises of our Baptism:  to die to self and to live in the Lord.  Words are easy and actions can be costly.  Once we actually understand and believe, however, that Christ is truly risen, then our lives can change.  There is no one else who has ever done this.  There is no one else who has invited us to share in the divine life.  There is no one else who promises to be with us always.

 

We can ask ourselves:  Can I truly preach forgiveness of sins?  Do I really trust that my own sins are forgiven?  Do I know that Christ died and then was raised to life and through that, our whole world was changed forever?

 

Christ is risen, alleluia!

 

Your brother in the Lord,

 

Abbot Philip