Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter
There have been many times in my life when I have found myself following the ‘rules’ of the Church rather mindlessly. Habit or commitment, and even fear, have all been part of the reason. That is just the way I grew up and that is where I have ended up on more occasions than I like to admit. What I have learned is that living in that ‘space’ is rather deadening. I have never found any joy there nor do I find much motivation to become a better Christian. On the other hand, the times I know I am following Jesus, when I am working to deepen that relationship, I experience gratitude, joy, and great motivation. During these times, I find I no longer even think about the rules; the rules just seem to take care of themselves!
St Peter, in today’s reading from Acts, relates to his community a vision from God. This vision convinces him that, regardless of dietary rules, or even being a Jew, does not restrict or bring about the coming of the Holy Spirit upon a people. Indeed, Peter witnesses, “God gave them (the Gentiles) the same gift he gave to us when we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ…” The Gospel reading from John is the beginning of the Good Shepherd passage in which Jesus clearly tells us He is the ‘gate for the sheep’. Jesus says that, although some may try and enter in other ways, may try and steal or destroy the fold, or even climb the fence to enter, it is only through Jesus, the one and only Good Shepherd, that anyone may enter and be saved. There is not one thing, one action, one way of living that of myself will earn my salvation. Not even following every single rule down to the letter. Nothing. Yet still, how often do I find myself mired in this type of thinking?
Sometimes we can find ourselves following rules for the sake of following the rules. But rules have not the power to grant us salvation. God did not create us as mindless sheep incapable thinking or self-awareness. We must always keep foremost in our hearts that we are followers of Jesus, the Christ, who is the one and only Savior. Let us ponder this day how our lives truly reflect this fact. Let us pray God, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, grant us the grace to follow Jesus much more consciously and trust that our following the rules will take care of itself.
--Gail Lyman