Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter
(Acts 11:1-18; John 10:1-10)
Both readings today treat access issues. In the first Peter through a vision
recognizes that non-Jews have access to life in the Spirit. The gospel claims that only Jesus, the
gatekeeper, allows access to his flock.
If he does not approve of a person, that one cannot be his disciple.
The Church has taught that access to eternal life is a
function of Baptism. Today there is no
difficulty in seeing how a non-Jew could be baptized. However, the primitive Church struggled with
the possibility as seen in the reading. A
more contemporary dilemma is the possibility of non-Christians gaining access
to Jesus’ heavenly flock without Baptism.
Vatican II teaches that the Holy Spirit is not bound to Baptism. According to the Council, the Spirit has
touched all who seek the truth and do God’s will as best they can.
Hopefully, we are not saddened by the prospect of some
achieving eternal life without abiding all the Church’s moral teachings. An honest account of reality will see the
Church’s moral teachings as enabling and not restricting us. The teachings should move us to call more
people to Baptism out of love.
