Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Today’s first reading and Gospel seem to contrast with each other. In the first reading, we hear about the conversion of Gentiles, or non-Jewish people, who come to believe in the Good News, while in the Gospel, Jesus contends with the unbelief of the Jews who are listening to him preach. Despite this difference, both passages deal with change—especially in expectations of what the Messiah and the faith community should look like.
One of the main tensions within the early community of Jesus’ disciples, as depicted in the Acts of the Apostles, is the inclusion of Gentiles. In the first reading, we see the disciples preaching only to Jews. However, some Greek-speaking Gentiles hear them and begin proclaiming Jesus Christ to others. As a result, the Jewish disciples must grapple with the growing number of believers who are not Jewish and expand their understanding of who belongs to the faith community. Likewise, we too experience changes in our faith community as it grows in cultural and ethnic diversity, and as we come together as the Bread of Life/Pan de Vida Family of Parishes. We can learn from these early Christians how to adapt to a changing church and how to welcome others.
In today’s Gospel passage, the Jewish people listening to Jesus do not recognize him as the Messiah, despite all the signs they have witnessed. Perhaps they had a different idea of who the Messiah would be and how he would act. Maybe they were expecting someone more militaristic—someone who could overthrow the Roman Empire—rather than someone who compares himself to a shepherd. To become part of Jesus’ flock, they would need to change their understanding of who the Messiah is. In the same way, this passage challenges us to reflect on how we view Jesus. Do we see him as he truly is, or do we project our own image onto him? What aspects of our understanding of Jesus might need to change?
As we reflect on these readings, we are invited to be open to the ways God may be stretching our understanding—of who Jesus is and our faith community. Change is challenging but often the Holy Spirit uses difficult circumstances to help us grow deeper in faith. May we have the humility to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and the courage to let go of our own expectations.
—Sr. Emily Sandoval, FMI (Marianist Sister)