THE WORD
FIRST READING: Ac 13,14.43-52
Jesus said, “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.” They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered (into) the synagogue and took their seats.
After the congregation had dispersed, many Jews and worshipers who were converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to remain faithful to the grace of God.
On the following sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said. Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came to believe, and the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region. The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. The disciples were filled with joy and the holy Spirit.
SECOND READING: Rev 7,9.14-17
After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
“For this reason they stand before God’s throne and worship him day and night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will shelter them. They will not hunger or thirst anymore, nor will the sun or any heat strike them. For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
GOSPEL: Jn 10,27-30
Jesus said, “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.”
IN OTHER WORDS
Today is the fourth Sunday of Easter and we also celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday. Good Shepherd Sunday is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Easter. Good Shepherd. Vocation. Three BIG IDEAS. Three BIG CONCEPTS. Three BIG POINTS. But ONE common denominator: JESUS and HIS MISSION.
Let me make a confession: I like boxing bouts and UFC fights. And I have been criticized by many, of course, by those who don’t like these “sports”. They would tell me “Ruper, that’s not sports, that’s violence”. I usually don’t argue with them. I simply say, “Hmmm…perhaps yes. But I like it. I’m sorry. I also sin”.
We are taught that Jesus died for our sins. But, every time I contemplate on the passion and
suffering of Jesus or on the Christ Crucified with His wounds and blood, I’m reminded not only that He has redeemed me from my sinfulness, but also –and I cannot help it - that He is the Greatest of all fighters, as the Champion of all champions. And His way of winning the crown is much different if not totally different from that of other “fighters”. His character, his attitude and his style are far distinct from all those of other fighters. His discipline and passion for His mission are far beyond compare.
This is my humble and elementary analogical reflection of what we celebrate today, World Day
of Prayer for VOCATIONS, GOOD SHEPHERD Sunday, and 4th Sunday of EASTER with its great denominator JESUS and HIS MISSION. First, as I always respond to Fr. Roderick Salazar, SVD (the Mission Director) “Our Vocation is Mission, I’m always at your service Father”, whenever he sees me and to which he cheerfully responds, “Take care of your vocation, father vocation director”. Yes, I believe that our Vocation is Mission. With this, we are like the “sheep who hear His voice” and follow him in His mission. Second, His Mission is to be a Good Shepherd (“He lays down His life for the sheep”), and this is also our mission, to be like Him, to be good “ fighters” in our everyday “battles”, to be ready to lay down our lives in helping and extending our hands to others (“No one can take them out of my hands”). And lastly, Easter is the Crown (or the Belt of the Champion of Champions) of the Mission. Easter is the fulfillment of the Mission, the victory of the “greatest fight” ever known. When we share His Vocation and Mission, we also share His crown.
- Fr. Ruper Solis, SVD | CKMS, Quezon City
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
