Scripture Study
Fourth Sunday of Easter – Cycle A
Acts 2:14a, 36-41 (Ps 23:13a, 3b-6) 1 Peter 2:20-25 J John 1 10 0: :1 1- -1 10 0
Overview of the Gospel:
• This Sunday’s gospel takes place right after Jesus’ healing of the blind man which we heard about on the Fourth Sunday of Lent (John 9:1-41). He is addressing this present discourse to the Pharisees who reacted with hostility to both Jesus and the blind man as a result of that healing. • The theme of God as the shepherd of Israel runs all through the Old Testament (Psalm 23:1-4, 80:1; Genesis 48:15, 49:24; Micah 7:14). Among the leaders of Israel there were good shepherds, like David (1 Samuel 17:34-36) as well as bad (Jeremiah 23:1-6).
• The Old Testament also promised that God would one day replace these corrupt leaders and shepherd his people himself (Ezekiel 34:11-16; Isaiah 40:11). Jesus often described himself in pastoral terms as a shepherd who sought out the lost sheep and carried them home to rejoicing (Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:4-7; John 10). He also used the image of a shepherd in many of his other teachings (Matthew 7:15, 9:36, 25:32-33; Mark 14:27; John 21:16-17), as did the early Church (Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25). . Questions:
• In the 1st Reading, Jesus is not called a “shepherd”, but he is given another title (see verses 36 and 39). What promise is given to those who repent of their sins and call upon his name?
• In the 2nd examples, what kind of example did Jesus set for us? What did he do for us that enables us to return to him as our Good Shepherd (see verse 24)?
• In the Gospel Reading, what do the sheep, shepherd, the sheepfold, and the stranger represent? How does the story of healing of the blind man in chapter 9 provide one example of what this story is about?
• How do the sheep respond to the shepherd? How does this relate to the Pharisees’ understanding of Jesus?
• What does Jesus mean by likening himself to a gate for the sheepfold? Who are these “thieves and robbers”? How is Jesus unlike them?
• How does Jesus’ death relate to his promise in verse 10? How does Jesus identify himself with the “good shepherd” (verses 11-15)?
• What was the turning point for you in terms of hearing “God’s voice” and responding? How do you discern his voice from all the other voices that vie for your attention? • How does it make you feel to think of God caring for you as the Good Shepherd?
Catechism of the Catholic Church: §§ 753-754, 764, 2157-2158
I, with [Jesus] Who is always by my side and in my heart, should I be afraid? --St. Rose of Lima
The Voice of the Shepherd
Pastor’s Column
Good Shepherd Sunday
May 11, 2014
“A thief comes only to steal and to slaughter and to destroy. I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly. John 10:10
Every year on the fourth Sunday of Easter, Christ comes to us as the Good Shepherd. It is a comforting image. How many have been consoled by praying over the 23rd Psalm: “The Lord Is My Shepherd There Is Nothing I Shall Want.”
One of the dynamics between a flock of sheep and a shepherd who cares for them is that the sheep get to know the shepherd and trust him. They recognize his voice and will respond to it, whereas other voices frighten them and may cause them to run away.
So Jesus tells us to get to know the voice of the Shepherd and to beware of other voices which do not lead to life. How do we recognize Christ’s voice in our life? Most of us have never heard Christ speak to us directly. How do we know it is Christ speaking to us? When it is Jesus who speaks, his voice leads us to holiness, to encouragement, to courage.
One of the best ways to know we are listening to God in our lives is if we are exhibiting the fruits of the Holy Spirit. What are these fruits? According to St. Paul, they include things such as joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, self-control, chastity.
Whereas when we yield to a voice that is not from God, what shows up are behaviors like selfishness, unforgiveness, jealousy, sinful yielding to anger, blasphemy, vulgarity, sexual immorality and a life of unfruitfulness or unkindness to other people.
It is critical in our spiritual lives to recognize which voices we are listening to. In our culture, the media delivers anything we want and sometimes we don’t realize that what we’re listening to is deadly. Taking in pornography is deadly to our soul and quite possibly our marriage. If all I take in are secular newscasts and websites, I will be getting all of my spiritual theology from secular sources.
Since most of us get our news online these days, what online Catholic new sources do I look at? I personally get a number of Catholic magazines as well as subscribe to Catholic News Agency and Zenit in order to hear what the pope has to say each day.
You might say to me: “Of course you do, because you are a priest.” Well, I haven’t always been a priest, but I’ve subscribed to these things for many years before entering the seminary. Catholic news helps form us. The wrong kind of news can deform us.
Whose voice am I listening to? Is it the voice of the Good Shepherd? Or is it the voice of the evil one? The Lord wants us to learn to discern this by the fruits of our lives. Is my life fruitful or is it lacking in fruit?
Father Gary