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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