8-May-2011
Dear Friend, Are we enjoying life? Living it up? We may claim that we are having a good time! But often we yearn for more; we don't seem to be satisfied by the way we are living life. We keep trying one thing after another. We try to reach the top, and have wealth and power but still feel empty inside. Have we tried God? Jesus guarantees us the fullness of life through Him. Have a fulfilling weekend with Jesus! Fr. Jude Sunday Reflections Fourth Sunday of Easter 'Jesus the gateway to fullness of life!' 15-May-2011 Acts 2: 14, 36-41; 1 Peter 2: 20-25; John 10: 1-10; In the first reading from the Acts Peter addresses the crowds after the first followers had experienced the coming of the Spirit. He boldly says, "Let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified." His listeners are moved and ask what they need to do to be saved. Peter asks them to repent and believe in Jesus the only way to fullness of life. Peter's message is essentially the same as today's Gospel and responsorial psalm: The stone which the builders, the Sanhedrin and the other leaders - had rejected, had become the corner stone of the whole edifice of salvation. Showing the Way In San Salvador on March 24, 1980, an assassin killed Archbishop Oscar Romero with a single shot to the heart while he was saying Mass. Only a few minutes before, Archbishop Romero had finished a hope-filled homily in which he urged the people to serve one another. Since Archbishop Romero was demanding human rights for his people under oppression, he knew that his life was in danger. Still he persisted in speaking out against tyranny and for freedom. He once told newspapermen that even if his enemies killed him, he would rise again among his people. Today, good shepherds who lay down their lives are husbands and wives who can't do enough for each other to demonstrate their commitment to each other; parents who make countless sacrifices for the good of their children; teachers who spend untold hours instructing the weak students; doctors and nurses who work untiringly to show they care for their patients; employers who share profits with their workers; politicians who unselfishly promote the common good of their voters and parishioners who generously support their parish community. Albert Cylwicki in 'His Word Resounds' In the Gospel Jesus explains his role as the Risen One in a parable "I am the gate." The words 'I am' are a claim to divine life. They echo the name of God revealed to Moses when he received his call to lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt to the Promised Land. As Jesus echoes that name there is an invitation to all to believe that He is God. He claims that he is the gate. There is no gate as such into the sheepfold. The shepherd acts as the gate. The sheep pass into the fold through his hands. He examines them, and tends to their bruises. When all are in he lies down across the entrance. No one can come in nor go out except over his body. He is their security. "Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture." He concludes, "I came that they may have life, and have it more abundantly." The risen Lord is calling us to the fullness of life. He is the only gate, the entrance to divine life. In the context of being the life-giver of his people he calls himself the Good Shepherd, who loves his sheep, takes care of them provides for their needs and leads them to rich pastures. Jesus is the only way to life. All other ways prove deceptive and short-lived. They may bring temporary pleasure but certainly no lasting happiness. Are we existing or living? Our Shepherd wants us to enjoy life, -a full life that is only possible in and through Him. The Sheepgate Like many devoted shepherds, Jesus is both the shepherd and the gate. I once heard a description of Middle Eastern sheepherding practices that ties these two images together. The sheepfold, especially one unattached to a larger settlement or dwelling, is a circular wall of stones, topped by barriers of briar. There is a small opening for the sheep to pass through. Once they are all in, instead of closing a hinged gate, the shepherd simply lies across the opening, so that nothing or no one can get through without going over his body first, without confronting or even killing him. This particular kind of shepherd literally makes himself into a barrier gate, a role that requires not only care but courage. If the marauders or predators are to get to the sheep, they will only do so over the dead body of the shepherd. When Jesus reveals that he is the gate of the sheepfold, he is not just suggesting that he is the unique way into safety or the only way out to pasture. He is saying that he will prevent our destruction by laying down his life. He has come to us that we may have life and have it abundantly. John Kavanaugh in 'The Word Embodied' Somebody is Watching Over Us Cheryl Cassiday was a registered nurse. One afternoon, she arrived at an Arts center to pick her daughter Rachael from her dance lesson. She usually used to run another errand before picking up her daughter - procure milk. On that day as she turned that corner, she changed her mind and did not go to the milk booth. This decision saved her daughter's life and eight other lives. Instead of waiting in the car as she usually did, that day she went into the dance studio. There she found her along with eight others overcome by carbon-monoxide poisoning. With the help of the family across the street she was able to pull out each one from the building and revive them. Later referring to the watchfulness of God, Cheryl very finely concluded: "Somebody was watching out for these girls besides me." Harold Buetow in 'God Still Speaks! Listen!' When a Stranger Comes When the American film director John Ford was interviewed about his technique for making westerns, he stated that there was only one way to open a film to arouse people's interest. You must begin he said, by having a stranger ride at full gallop into town. The peaceful life of the settlement is going to be disturbed by this stranger. The townspeople don't know who he is; they don't know where he's coming from; they have no idea why he is in such a hurry. And why here? For Ford all these questions were provoked by a stranger whose arrival kicked up so much dust. The life of the settlement was then primed for conflict. In the familiar life of the small town, strangers are often regarded with suspicion and resentment. Sometimes new arrivals have to wait years before they feel accepted as part of the community. Some always feel the outsider, no matter how long they stay and strive for approval. When it comes to voting for leaders in the community, people usually select those who know the community well, those who can be judged worthy of trust. They're not going to place their trust in someone they know nothing about. -In that sense people are like sheep. As Jesus says in today's Gospel: "They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers." Denis McBride in 'Seasons of the Heart' Healed by His wounds We may ask: How could the wounds of another heal our wounds? The following true story shows how it can happen. Anne's husband died of a heart attack. He was only in his mid-forties. In the weeks and months after the funeral, Anne was consumed by grief. Friends advised her to go on a weekend for the bereaved. Somewhat reluctantly she agreed to go. She was surprised to find that most of the people on the weekend were not widows but separated people. At a certain stage the participants were divided into groups, and it was Anne's bad luck to find herself the only widow in her group. She felt she didn't belong in the group. The other members had their husbands. It was their own fault that they had broken up. They could get back together if they really wanted to. But she had lost her husband. He was dead and gone - a good man who didn't smoke or drink, but stayed at home with the family. She felt she had nothing in common with these people. She refused to share with the group. When invited to do so she said, 'I won't be staying.' Even though she didn't talk she did listen. As she listened, she began to realise that the other people had suffered a great deal. Some of them had put up with a terrible amount of abuse. What especially moved her was the suffering of the children. Gradually her eyes were opened. She had no idea what went on in some homes. She thought that all marriages were like hers. She realised that she had had it very good. Whereas earlier she had felt no sympathy for the others, now she began to feel very close to them, so much so that when she was given the chance to join another group, she said she wanted to stay where she was. Eventually she began to talk about herself. One woman said to her, "What I wouldn't give for just one of your days.' The weekend proved to be a turning point for Anne. Her wounds began to heal. Flor McCarthy in 'New Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies' Know the Shepherd or the Song? Once, a wealthy parishioner invited a priest and his sacristan to dinner with other friends. Before dinner, the garrulous guests flaunted their talents by playing musical instruments, and singing solos. Later, the guests cried, "Father, you must sing for us!" The priest, an accomplished singer himself sang, "The Lord is my shepherd" with exquisite expression. The applause was loud and long. Finally, it was the turn of the poor sacristan. "I'm illiterate!" protested he, "and I can only say the same psalm father taught me!" With some cajoling, the sacristan closed his eyes, bowed his head and began, "The Lord is my shepherd." So sublime and spiritual was the sacristan's rendition that all the guests were moved to tears. Holding back tears the priest whispered, "I know the song, you know the Shepherd!" Francis Gonsalves in "Sunday Seeds for daily Deeds' The Shepherd Listens to Us In her book Lessons of the Heart, Pat Livingston describes an afternoon when Clarie, her niece, introduced her stuffed animals and dolls to Pat, calling them by name and describing when they were born. The four-year-old talked all about what these friends had done, the times they had been good, the times Claire had had to spank them. She pointed out the ones who never went to bed on time. The next day after Pat returned home she received a phone call from her sister. Clarie had drawn four stick figures - one of whom had a head with small circles on each side. The figures were Claire's mother, father, older brother, and Aunt Pat. "What are those things on Aunt Pat's head?" asked Clarie's mother. "They're ears," her daughter responded. "Aunt Pat really listens. That makes me feel special." -Application: Do we believe that Jesus listens to us? Do we take our cares to him, the Good Shepherd? Gerard Fuller in 'Stories for all Seasons' May our Good Shepherd the Risen Lord lead us to fullness of life! Fr. Jude Botelho judebote...@yahoo.co.in PS. The stories, incidents and anecdotes used in the reflections have been collected over the years from books as well as from sources over the net and from e-mails received. Every effort is made to acknowledge authors whenever possible. If you send in stories or illustrations I would be grateful if you could quote the source as well so that they can be acknowledged if used in these reflections. These reflections are also available on my web site www.netforlife.net Thank you.
