May 15, 2011

"LET'S CONTINUE
INDEFINITELY TO
EVANGELIZE I.E.TO
SHARE THE NEWS OF
OUR INSTITUTE!"

May 15 - Fourth Sunday of Easter


We are following each Sunday the highlights of the beginning of the Church and Peter is, quite rightly, given the best lines in this great drama. The First Reading today finds him at has loudest and clearest - so to speak - and he has his audience - as you might say - in the hollow of his hand. An interesting point here is the number of conversions: 3000! What a speaker! But is this the reason? Is it not more probable that among the crowd were quite a few "closet Christians," i.e. people who had been convinced by the miracles and preaching of Christ but who up to then had not come forward "for fear of the Jews" viz. because they might have been thrown out of the local synagogue( more or less equal to excommunication in our time). And our conclusion, dear members? Is it not to continue indefinitely and tirelessly our special "evangelization' or work to share the good news of our Institute. Even if YOU don't see any results (as happened with Christ) the results are there. God misses nothing and His plans are immense. And so . . . just keep on keeping on!


Today, of course is Good Shepherd Sunday, special Feastday of our "Pastorelle" or "Shepherdess Sisters," not found in the USA but active in other countries. The Responsorial Psalm underlines this theme which includes also prayer and activity for priestly and religious vocations. And have we no need of vocations to the Institute? Of course we have and we should work for them. Indeed, let me stick my neck out and remark that the well-known Movements for Family betterment would benefit greatly if in some way they could link up with the HFI. I have made this point before: all these Movements have a spiritual basis but it depends on the goodwill of the members. How much better it would be if at least some members reinforced their convictions and activity with consecration and vows?


The Second Reading shows us once again a more mature Peter,no longer in his first youth but always revealing his ageless yearning to spread the good news which however has now become not so good for the early Christians. As we recall, the Roman Empire had begun to show its interior corruption and it became necessary to find a unifying ikon. The Emperor was chosen as the ikon and citizens were called to honor him by burning incense before his image and reciting some words. The Christians, of course, refused and paid a dear price, Peter consoles them, reminding them that the Lord had paid the price first.


The Alleluia refers to the situation of real shepherds in the Lord's time who truly did know their sheep in the sense that each shepherd had a special call to which his sheep, and his sheep, only responded. This was essential when all the sheep were put into one large fold at night. To distinguish them by their appearance would have been a nightmare but the shepherd's call brought each group out swiftly and safely.


The Gospel brings us back quite a bit to one of the Lord's many encounters with the Pharisees and also with people in general. John tells us that the Pharisees did not understand what he meant and the people were divided, some saying he must be out of his mind, others impressed by his miracles. He calls himself not just the shepherd (of which there were hundreds)but - very mysteriously - the actual GATE of the sheepfold. This brings us back to the Last Supper where he called himself the Way viz. an example of the way we should behave or an actual "way" or road on which we can walk to arrive safely at the end of our spiritual journey. The meaning is pretty clear to us now but it must have been greeted, as mentioned, either by a stunned and disbelieving silence or else by violent arguments among the listeners (as John in fact tells us). John was the last of the apostles to die and he had the twofold advantage of years of reflection and - doubtless - discussion with the Mother of the Lord who could surely contribute more genuine information. On the other hand, if the Lord had made the comments and comparisons that I just mentioned, what good would that have done? Call himself the " Gate" or the " Way" would have equally meant nothing to his hearers and yet this was the truth about who he was.