Sunday, April 25, 2021

 THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

(Acts 4: 8-12; I John 3: 1-2; John 10: 11-18)

I don't know if you have heard of a "suicide mission". It is a task that is so dangerous that the people involved do not expect to survive it. A patrol charged with penetrating deep into enemy territory to blow up an ammunition depot could be a "suicide mission."  We can also think of Jesus' mission in the world as a "suicide mission."

But first we have to clarify one thing. A "suicide mission" is not suicide because those involved have no intention of taking their own lives. If it results in the death of those involved, it was not their intention to die. Rather, death would be an evil that they could not avoid in pursuit of an important good. The evangelist John portrays Jesus as a volunteer going on a "suicide mission." In the passage today Jesus declares his mission: he is the “’good shepherd (who) lays down his life for his sheep.’"

Jesus can be seen carrying out his "suicide mission" during the passion. When Judas and the soldiers arrive in the garden, Jesus does not hide. Rather, he welcomes his captors as a host goes out to meet his guests. The Gospel says: "Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to him, went out and said to them ..." Because the hour of his supreme sacrifice has come, he does not try to avoid it. He said at dinner with his disciples: "Yet what am I to say:' Father, deliver me from this hour?" But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.'” To emphasize how Jesus sacrifices himself for the good of all, John portrays Jesus carrying his own cross. In the Gospel according to John there is no mention of Simon of Cyrene helping Jesus.

As brothers and sisters of Jesus, we have to undertake our own "suicide mission." This is not to say a task that we are to pursue a task that will cost our lives. It will only involve our service. We have to dispose our talents for the good of the Kingdom of God. Some are needed for altar ministries. Interestingly, there are sometimes few in attendance at Mass willing to read the Word of God or to act as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. There are even fewer volunteers to bring the Eucharist to the elderly in nursing homes or to visit prisoners in jail. Why? Because people consider those services as not necessary to please God. But the second reading responds to this type of thinking. It says: "If the world does not recognize us, it is because it has not recognized him (Jesus) either."  Just as Jesus’ self-sacrifice pleased God the Father, so will our service.   

As said of the lame man in the first reading, it is also true of us. We are healed in the name of Jesus. If we feed the hungry and instruct the indoctrinated as Jesus has taught, we will have full life in his name. We can count on this even more than a full meal in our mother's kitchen.

In one diocese the bishop organized a fund to support nine Catholic schools in the poorest parts of the city. Some criticized the bishop. They asked him: "Why do we want to educate non-Catholics?" The bishop responded, "We educate them not because they are Catholic but because we are Catholic." Yes, being a Catholic means serving others. You cannot be a good Catholic if you don't want to serve.


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