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| “Paul and Barnabas at Lystra” by Nicolaes Berchem, 1650. |
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Acts 11:19-26
Those who had been scattered by the persecution
that arose because of Stephen
went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus,
and Antioch,
preaching the word to no one but Jews.
There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among
them, however,
who came to Antioch and began to speak
to the Greeks as well,
proclaiming the Lord Jesus.
The hand of the Lord was with them
and a great number who believed turned to the
Lord.
The news about them reached the ears of the
Church in Jerusalem,
and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.
When he arrived and saw the grace of God,
he rejoiced and encouraged them all
to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of
heart,
for he was a good man, filled with the Holy
Spirit and faith.
And a large number of people was added to the
Lord.
Then he went to Tarsus to look for
Saul,
and when he had found him he brought him
to Antioch.
For a whole year they met with the Church
and taught a large number of people,
and it was in Antioch that the
disciples
were first called Christians.
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Commentary on Acts 11:19-26
The story in Acts refers back
to Acts 8:1-4, the
flight of the Christian faithful from Jerusalem following the death of St.
Stephen. It is significant in the life of the Church for a few reasons. First,
as a consequence of bringing a large number of non-Jews to believe in Christ,
namely the Gentile converts, and because the Gentile converts had no historical
connection to Judaism, these converts identified themselves for the first time
as Christians – separate from Judaism. We note the action of the Holy Spirit is
credited with this successful evangelization (as did St. John Chrysostom in his
Homily on Acts 25 where he said: “Notice, that it is grace which does
everything. And also reflect on the fact that this work is begun by unknown
workers and only when it begins to prosper do the apostles send Barnabas.”). [4] This new vitality attracted not only Barnabas
but Saul as well.
The second reason this event is so
important is that it tells us Christianity has traveled to Antioch, the third
city in the Roman Empire with a population of over a half million (behind Rome
and Alexandria). The spread of the Gospel is tremendously accelerated from this
point.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 87:1b-3,
4-5, 6-7
R. (117:1a) All you nations, praise
the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
His foundation upon the holy mountains
the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
more than any dwelling of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,
O city of God!
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I tell of Egypt and Babylon
among those who know the LORD;
Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia:
"This man was born there."
And of Zion they shall say:
"One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her
is the Most High LORD."
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:
"This man was born there."
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:
"My home is within you."
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7
This post-exilic song was probably sung by
pilgrims from around the known world returning to Jerusalem to celebrate in
God’s holy city the joys of his bounty. The psalm proclaims the centrality of
Jerusalem (Zion) as the source of holiness. The psalmist sings of how Jerusalem
is the mother of faith and that, by implication, all are joined to her in
faith. Seen in the light of Christ, this unity can also be applied to the
Church which brings all peoples to itself. Again we see the messianic call
carried within the hymn.
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Gospel: John 10:22-30
The feast of the Dedication was taking place
in Jerusalem.
It was winter.
And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the
Portico of Solomon.
So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,
"How long are you going to keep us in
suspense?
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."
Jesus answered them, "I told you and you do
not believe.
The works I do in my Father's name testify to
me.
But you do not believe, because you are not among
my sheep.
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."
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Commentary on Jn 10:22-30
This is the conclusion of Jesus’
debates with the Jewish leadership. He is in the temple precincts at this
point. He came there at a time when many of those from all over the region
would be there, the feast of Hanukkah. They press him to state plainly whether
he is the Messiah. His final response, again using the “Good Shepherd” analogy,
is a chain of logic that leads to his final statement: “The Father and I are
one.”
This passage is set within the
great discourse of Jesus at the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple. The
topic sets the stage for the second theme, “Jesus the life.” [The first theme
was “Jesus as light”] The “Good Shepherd” takes the sheep, his flock, as his
own possession, represented by the faithful. As this passage concludes, we hear
conclusively that the Lord is one with the Father, truly God as well as true
man. “The Lord utters one of his ‘hard sayings’ which evoke the wrath of the
Jews, ‘the Father and I are one.’ In context, Jesus is amplifying his
statement that no one can snatch the sheep from him because they have been
given him by the father; Father and Son are one in mind, will, and action.” [5]
“The
shepherd was often depicted as the self-sacrificing caretaker of sheep who was
dedicated to their well-being, brought back strays, and kept them safe from the
many dangers of the world (cf. 1 Samuel
17:34-35; Psalm 23:2; Amos 3:12; Matthew 18:12). Thus the Lord was the Shepherd of Israel in poetic
language (Genesis 49:24; Psalm 80:2). He led his people through the desert like a shepherd
leading his flock (Psalm 77:20; Psalm 78:52). The trust that the Israelite should have in the Lord is
epitomized by Psalm 23.” [6]
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Reflection:
Heavenly Father, we
humbly pray that those suffering from the coronavirus be returned quickly to
full health by the power of your Son’s healing presence, and those in fear be
calmed through the Holy Spirit.
In Christ’s name we
pray. – Amen.
We see a question and an answer in scripture
today. The question is asked in the Gospel and we find it in our hearts rather
than in our minds. We have, for the past several days, been hearing the great
“Good Shepherd” discourse. In the Gospel, St. John makes reference to that
exchange through Jesus’ response to the Jews, who are asking him to say
explicitly that he is the Messiah.
The Lord must be frustrated with this question
(“I told you and you do not believe”). If he says: “I am the
Messiah,” many of the leaders will accuse him of blasphemy, and come after him
immediately. In addition, the messiah many of them expect (probably including
Judas, one of his own disciples) is the royal messiah. The royal messiah is a
great hero sent by God, who comes in power and majesty to cast down the Romans.
That is not what he is, not what they expect.
Rather than trying to go back to the beginning
and explain all the prophecy that has already pointed at his true mission and
identity, the Lord uses a logic chain to bring them to understand his
relationship to the Father. “The works I do in my Father’s name testify to
me,” he tells them. And then, probably with that note of sadness in his
voice, he continues saying that they do not know who he is because they are
incapable of making the leap of faith necessary. It is like a child struggling
with a math problem, trying to do it in their head, and failing because it is
too big. Or it is like the painting with two different images buried within it;
some people just can’t see both. It is not their fault. And the Lord finally
concludes, saying it as clearly as he can: “The Father and I are one.”
We said in the beginning there was a question
here and there it is, for all of us. We believe in Jesus, the Christ, who is
one with the Father. Our faith allows us to make that connection. The question
is not; “Do we believe,” it is: “What do we do with that belief?”
The answer to that question is there as well.
Jesus said: “The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me.” Can we
say the same? People we meet should not even pause for a second to ask if we
have adopted that proud name first used in Antioch, Christian. Our actions
should make that clear. Today we are challenged by the Gospel once more. We are
called to act like Christians, to love Christ, to love each other, and to take
that message into the world like the sheep of the Good Shepherd who sends us.
During this time of isolation, we must work to provide those acts of love that
best exemplify our love of Christ.
In this strange year where many
of us will not be able to receive the Blessed Sacrament or celebrate as a
community in our houses of worship, we must be prepared to receive spiritual
communion in prayer:
My Jesus,
I believe that You
are present in the Most
Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all
things,
and I desire to receive
You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this
moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually
into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself
wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
Pax
[1]
The picture
used is “Paul and Barnabas at Lystra” by Nicolaes Berchem, 1650.
[3]
The
readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm
and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by
USCCB and is for private use only.
[4]
The Navarre
Bible, Gospels and Acts, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, pp. 790-91.
[5]
Jerome
Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 63:119, p. 445.
[6]
Catholic
Bible Dictionary, © by Scott Hahn, 2009, p. 839.
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