Breaking from the Past

 Reflection on Today’s Readings, Monday of 4th Week of Easter, May 9th, 2022
Texts: Acts 11 : 1-18; Psalm 42:2-3; 43 :3.4; John 10: 1- 10

Today’s first reading reveals to us an aspect of God that we need to take into consideration in our journey of faith. As God is ancient so also He is ever new. We will always experience the fact that He is ever new. Because God is ever new, we are always exposed to new things in our journey with Him. There is always ground breaking in the plan of God. Such being our God we have to be open minded and be prepared to break from the past always. The past is fast gone, the present is fast in going and the future is fast in setting in. In today’s first reading, events are calling on the apostles to break away from the past and to embrace the new reality before them. They needed to break from the belief that the Gentiles are abhorrent to God. They needed to believe that the Gentiles are in God’s plan of salvation. The apostles needed to break away from exclusiveness to embrace inclusiveness. God does not reject anyone that comes to him. God is inclusive rather than exclusive.

The question here is this: how can we know the unfolding truth to embrace? There are many realities unfolding before us. Gay marriage, legislation of abortion, contraceptives,  birth control, social media, Internet, etc. We are to embrace things that are in line with the gospel values and teaching. This is clear in the words of St. Peter: “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptised with water, but you shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’”  

Jesus tells us in today’s gospel reading that He is the door to the sheepfold. He puts it thus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” He is the door for the sheep to enter the sheepfold. This brings to mind His words: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6). It is by faith in Jesus that we become members of God’s household. He is also the door for shepherds. Hence, He says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.” This means shepherds are those who come to us by Jesus. Shepherds are those who come to us in the name of Jesus Christ and are sent by Him. The shepherds also are to have faith in Jesus, listen to Him and follow Him.  

If the sheep have faith in Jesus Christ, they will not follow thieves and robbers. We fall into the hands of thieves and robbers when we seek worldly things. If the shepherds also have faith in Jesus, they will not turn out to be thieves and robbers but good shepherds like Jesus. It is also the involvement in worldly affair that makes shepherds become thieves and robbers. 

O God, perfect light of the blessed, by whose gift we celebrate the paschal mysteries on earth, bring us, we pray, to rejoice in the full measure of your grace for ages unending. Amen (Collect) 

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke