20220510 FINDING FAITH IN JESUS
10 May, 2022, Tuesday, 4th Week of Easter
First reading | Acts 11:19-26 © |
They started preaching to the Greeks, proclaiming the Lord Jesus
Those who had escaped during the persecution that happened because of Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, but they usually proclaimed the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, who came from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch where they started preaching to the Greeks, proclaiming the Good News of the Lord Jesus to them as well. The Lord helped them, and a great number believed and were converted to the Lord.
The church in Jerusalem heard about this and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. There he could see for himself that God had given grace, and this pleased him, and he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion; for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord.
Barnabas then left for Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. As things turned out they were to live together in that church a whole year, instructing a large number of people. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians.’
Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 86(87) © |
O praise the Lord, all you nations!
or
Alleluia!
On the holy mountain is his city
cherished by the Lord.
The Lord prefers the gates of Zion
to all Jacob’s dwellings.
Of you are told glorious things,
O city of God!
O praise the Lord, all you nations!
or
Alleluia!
‘Babylon and Egypt I will count
among those who know me;
Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia,
these will be her children
and Zion shall be called “Mother”
for all shall be her children.’
O praise the Lord, all you nations!
or
Alleluia!
It is he, the Lord Most High,
who gives each his place.
In his register of peoples he writes:
‘These are her children,’
and while they dance they will sing:
‘In you all find their home.’
O praise the Lord, all you nations!
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Acclamation | Jn10:27 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,
says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me.
Alleluia!
Gospel | John 10:22-30 © |
The Father and I are one
It was the time when the feast of Dedication was being celebrated in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the Temple walking up and down in the Portico of Solomon. The Jews gathered round him and said, ‘How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus replied:
‘I have told you, but you do not believe.
The works I do in my Father’s name are my witness;
but you do not believe,
because you are no sheep of mine.
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice;
I know them and they follow me.
I give them eternal life;
they will never be lost
and no one will ever steal them from me.
The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone,
and no one can steal from the Father.
The Father and I are one.’
FINDING FAITH IN JESUS
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Acts 11:19-26; Ps 87:1-7; John 10:22-30]
In the gospel, we read that “it was the time when the feast of Dedication was being celebrated in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the Temple walking up and down in the Portico of Solomon.” The Feast of Dedication, also known as Hanukkah, is also the Festival of Lights. It is a feast to commemorate the rededication of the Temple after it was profaned by the Syrian King Antiochus IV. This was the context of the events that followed. In the last chapter, Jesus said of Himself, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (Jn 9:5) This was followed by the healing of the blind man, a symbolic demonstration of Jesus’ claim to be the light of the world. The chapter ended with the Pharisees denying Jesus’ claim and refuting that they were blind. In today’s gospel, we have the Jews asking Jesus, “How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” They still could not accept Jesus and believe in Him.
Indeed, there are many in the world today who cannot accept Jesus. People of other faiths find it difficult to accept the Christian’s claim that Jesus is the Saviour of the World, the Son of God and the Messiah. Others are searching for God but still remain unconvinced that Jesus is the answer to their quest. What is the reason for the lack of acceptance of Jesus? Jesus was clear in His response. “I have told you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name are my witness; but you do not believe, because you are no sheep of mine.”
Unless we are the sheep of Jesus, we cannot recognize Him as the Good Shepherd. “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.” Only those who listen to Jesus will know Him as the Good Shepherd who makes provisions for His sheep, leads them to greener pasture, protects them and bring them safely home. It is a question of receptivity, trust and faith, which simply means being open to a personal relationship with the Lord. Unless we get to know the Lord by listening to Him and walking with Him, encountering Him in our life, we will never get to know Him and find faith in Him. We are reminded at the very beginning of John’s gospel when the first apostles were seeking Him out and the Lord told them to “come and see.” “They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.” (Jn 1:39) Soon afterwards, Philip also told Nathanael about Jesus whom the prophets wrote but he was sceptical. Philip gave the same advice to him, “Come and see.” (Jn 1:47)
What distinguishes us who are the sheep of the Good Shepherd from those who listen to brigands and thieves is that we know the Lord. Those sheep who belong to the Good Shepherd “will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” (Jn 10:5) To listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and to recognize His voice presupposes intimacy and trust. As much as the Shepherd knows his sheep and calls them by name, and leads them out, going ahead of them with the sheep following, it is so only because they know the Shepherd and they recognize His voice.
But how do we know that those who come to us are thieves and brigands and not the Good Shepherd? By this alone, namely, “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (Jn 10:10) The measure of who is the Shepherd of Christ is determined by what the Shepherd teaches and where he leads us. If someone is leading us to the fulness of life, a life that is lived in selflessness, humility, forgiveness, and in unity with God and our brothers and sisters, that person would truly be the shepherd sent by God. Jesus is the true and Good Shepherd because He came to give us life and life abundantly. “I give them eternal life; they will never be lost.” He came as the Lord said, “not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mt 20:28)
What then prevents people from knowing the Lord? It is pride that leads to intellectual blindness and hardness of heart. The Pharisees thought they knew everything about the Law and Moses. And so they dismissed the claims and teachings of Jesus because He was not even a trained rabbi and He did not attend any theological school. Instead of being receptive to what Jesus said and weighing them objectively, they were more concerned with defending their position. This is a constant temptation even for us believers when engaging in dialogue with those who disagree with us, even from within the same fold. We start from our premise and interpret everything to favour what we already believe, rather than objectively re-reading the scripture texts or re-examining the counter arguments put forward by those who disagree with our views. Indeed, we tend to see everything through our coloured lens.
Intellectual pride is the obstacle for unbelievers, agnostics and atheists because they demand scientific and empirical proofs. They fail to see that there are many things in life that cannot be proven scientifically and empirically. If it were so, then all relationships can be determined by external signs. But we all know that external signs alone might not always be indicative of genuine love and care. Relationship at the end of the day is determined by love, mutual knowledge and a growing trust. This relationship is, however, not something that is arrived at any time. Relationship needs constant nurturing, growth and deepening.
The way to know Jesus is not through intellectual argument but it is through a personal relationship with Him seen in obedience to His Word. This explains why the Lord said, “The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone, and no one can steal from the Father. The Father and I are one.” Jesus could give Himself totally to the Father in obedience to His will and desire for humanity, simply because Jesus is one with His Father, in mind and in heart. Jesus feels for us as much as the Father feels for us. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross expresses the Father’s unconditional love for us. So the way for us to come to know Jesus, to listen to Him and follow after Him requires a union of mind and heart with the Lord. This is what the Lord seeks for us what He Himself has. He said, “As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (Jn 17:21-23) When we have the same mind and heart, we will obey gladly, not because we have to but we want to. Again the Lord made it clear, “I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.” (Jn 14:31)
We have the example of the Gentiles who responded to the preaching of the first missionaries dispersed by the persecution of Saul. Besides Stephen who travelled out of Judea to preach to the Jews, and Philip to the Samaritan half-Jews, “some of them, however, who came from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch where they started preaching to the Greeks, proclaiming the Good News of the Lord Jesus to them as well.” Because they were Greek-speaking and not conditioned by the Jewish culture and customs, they were more receptive to the gospel brought by the Greek-speaking Jews. As is often the case, a prophet is often not accepted in his own country. In the case of the Gentiles, they were receptive and they had no prejudice against the Christian Jews. As a result, we read “he Lord helped them, and a great number believed and were converted to the Lord.”
But it was also because they had good shepherds after the heart of Christ. “The church in Jerusalem heard about this and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.” Barnabas was an encouraging shepherd who was receptive to their desire to know the Lord. “There he could see for himself that God had given grace, and this pleased him, and he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion; for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord.” And to help him to nurture their faith, “Barnabas then left for Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch.” He was generous in bringing Saul to work with him.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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