From The American Bible Society:
May 15, 2011
Fourth Sunday of Easter
This is a reminder to continue in your daily Lectio Divina Scripture reading. We’ve included the content again for you, to make it easier for you to continue to engage with God’s Word.
I AM THE GATE
John 10:1-10 (Good News Translation)
1 Jesus said, “I am telling you the truth: the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The man who goes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him; the sheep hear his voice as he calls his own sheep by name, and he leads them out. 4 When he has brought them out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow someone else; instead, they will run away from such a person, because they do not know his voice. ” 6 Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what he meant. 7 So Jesus said again, “I am telling you the truth: I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All others who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Those who come in by me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness.
Other Readings: Acts 2:14, 36-41; Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6; 1 Peter 2:20-25;
Lectio
This Sunday has traditionally been termed ‘Sunday of the Good Shepherd’, as the gospel is taken from John 10, where we find that expression. Nevertheless, in the fragment chosen for this liturgical cycle A, there is a second image which combines with it - that of the ‘gate’. Each of them conveys two dimensions of Jesus himself. We should recall the number of times in which John refers to the same literary and theological phrase: ‘I am’. Jesus speaks about himself as ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’ (which we will see next Sunday), ‘the real Vine’, ‘the Bread of Life’, ‘the Resurrection and the Life’, ‘the Light of the world’. The fullness of his condition as the God-sent Messiah cannot be accurately expressed through mere concepts, but has to be described by means of images. In today’s fragment, Jesus is presented as both shepherd and gate, bringing to plenitude the Father’s own role. He tends the sheep of Israel, knows them personally, leads them and is willing to die for them. As the gate of the sheepfold, he offers them a safe enclosure and allows them to go in and out freely to find pasture. All the images bring together a deep feeling of familiarity and confidence. To recognize the shepherd’s voice; to be known by your own name; to feel safe from wolves and thieves; to be free to enter and go out… they are all signs of a new, deeper way to relate with Jesus the Saviour and, in the end, with God himself. It is not, obviously, the kind of relationship existing between the people of Israel and their leaders, both priests and teachers of the law. That is why we must not separate today’s text from the previous chapter. The context is still the harsh discussion with the ‘Jews’ because of the curing of the blind man. Jesus has accused them of being spiritually ‘blind’, unable to see because of their own stubbornness, incompetent to lead the members of the community along the paths of justice and law, and even rejecting those who accept faith. As he will say on some other occasion, they keep the key of the gate, but neither do they enter nor do they let others enter the Kingdom. There is still a new dimension. The Good Shepherd, sent to bring back to the path of life those who had gone astray, is at the same time the Lamb of God who ‘carried our sins in his body to the cross’ (1 Peter 2:24-25), and ‘the one that God has made Lord and Messiah’ (Acts 2:36). There is, then, for all of us, the certitude of forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and the receiving of salvation as a gift. But there is also a calling to return to him and his ways. ‘What shall we do, brothers?’ (Acts 2:37) is the question posed by the people when they heard Peter’s words. It should also be our question, if we are to accept Jesus’ words and follow him.
Meditatio
In our society, where the media conveys thousands of overwhelming messages, we can find too many leaders, politicians, shepherds of all kinds, trying to dominate our way of life and even the thoughts of our minds. Consider to what extent you can free yourself from their voices and listen to that of our ‘Good Shepherd.’ Jesus is not only our gate, but he wants us to be gates for others. Can they find in you an entrance towards both freedom and shelter? Can you transmit Jesus’ ‘life in all its fullness’?
Oratio
Pray for those who lack the greatest gift a person may enjoy: not only freedom from physical slavery, but also freedom to obey one’s conscience and follow Jesus’ way of life. Pray for the pastors in your community, that they may embody the qualities of the Good Shepherd: knowledge of their ‘flock’, true witness to the gospel, self-denial, wisdom to instruct the church that has been entrusted to them.
Contemplatio
In the turmoil of your busy day look for some ‘quiet pool of fresh water’ where you may experience a silent encounter with the Lord and, even if it may seem an almost stale routine, read and meditate on Psalm 23. Find comfort and peace in him whose goodness and love will be with you all your life.
© 2010 American Bible Society.
May 15, 2011
Fourth Sunday of Easter
This is a reminder to continue in your daily Lectio Divina Scripture reading. We’ve included the content again for you, to make it easier for you to continue to engage with God’s Word.
I AM THE GATE
John 10:1-10 (Good News Translation)
1 Jesus said, “I am telling you the truth: the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The man who goes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him; the sheep hear his voice as he calls his own sheep by name, and he leads them out. 4 When he has brought them out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow someone else; instead, they will run away from such a person, because they do not know his voice. ” 6 Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what he meant. 7 So Jesus said again, “I am telling you the truth: I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All others who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Those who come in by me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness.
Other Readings: Acts 2:14, 36-41; Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6; 1 Peter 2:20-25;
Lectio
This Sunday has traditionally been termed ‘Sunday of the Good Shepherd’, as the gospel is taken from John 10, where we find that expression. Nevertheless, in the fragment chosen for this liturgical cycle A, there is a second image which combines with it - that of the ‘gate’. Each of them conveys two dimensions of Jesus himself. We should recall the number of times in which John refers to the same literary and theological phrase: ‘I am’. Jesus speaks about himself as ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’ (which we will see next Sunday), ‘the real Vine’, ‘the Bread of Life’, ‘the Resurrection and the Life’, ‘the Light of the world’. The fullness of his condition as the God-sent Messiah cannot be accurately expressed through mere concepts, but has to be described by means of images. In today’s fragment, Jesus is presented as both shepherd and gate, bringing to plenitude the Father’s own role. He tends the sheep of Israel, knows them personally, leads them and is willing to die for them. As the gate of the sheepfold, he offers them a safe enclosure and allows them to go in and out freely to find pasture. All the images bring together a deep feeling of familiarity and confidence. To recognize the shepherd’s voice; to be known by your own name; to feel safe from wolves and thieves; to be free to enter and go out… they are all signs of a new, deeper way to relate with Jesus the Saviour and, in the end, with God himself. It is not, obviously, the kind of relationship existing between the people of Israel and their leaders, both priests and teachers of the law. That is why we must not separate today’s text from the previous chapter. The context is still the harsh discussion with the ‘Jews’ because of the curing of the blind man. Jesus has accused them of being spiritually ‘blind’, unable to see because of their own stubbornness, incompetent to lead the members of the community along the paths of justice and law, and even rejecting those who accept faith. As he will say on some other occasion, they keep the key of the gate, but neither do they enter nor do they let others enter the Kingdom. There is still a new dimension. The Good Shepherd, sent to bring back to the path of life those who had gone astray, is at the same time the Lamb of God who ‘carried our sins in his body to the cross’ (1 Peter 2:24-25), and ‘the one that God has made Lord and Messiah’ (Acts 2:36). There is, then, for all of us, the certitude of forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and the receiving of salvation as a gift. But there is also a calling to return to him and his ways. ‘What shall we do, brothers?’ (Acts 2:37) is the question posed by the people when they heard Peter’s words. It should also be our question, if we are to accept Jesus’ words and follow him.
Meditatio
In our society, where the media conveys thousands of overwhelming messages, we can find too many leaders, politicians, shepherds of all kinds, trying to dominate our way of life and even the thoughts of our minds. Consider to what extent you can free yourself from their voices and listen to that of our ‘Good Shepherd.’ Jesus is not only our gate, but he wants us to be gates for others. Can they find in you an entrance towards both freedom and shelter? Can you transmit Jesus’ ‘life in all its fullness’?
Oratio
Pray for those who lack the greatest gift a person may enjoy: not only freedom from physical slavery, but also freedom to obey one’s conscience and follow Jesus’ way of life. Pray for the pastors in your community, that they may embody the qualities of the Good Shepherd: knowledge of their ‘flock’, true witness to the gospel, self-denial, wisdom to instruct the church that has been entrusted to them.
Contemplatio
In the turmoil of your busy day look for some ‘quiet pool of fresh water’ where you may experience a silent encounter with the Lord and, even if it may seem an almost stale routine, read and meditate on Psalm 23. Find comfort and peace in him whose goodness and love will be with you all your life.
© 2010 American Bible Society.
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