Fourth Sunday of Easter (May 7, 2017): Do you need a breakthrough?
Thứ Bảy, 06-05-2017 | 15:27:39
Today’s Readings:
Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Ps 23: 1-6
1 Peter 2:20b-25
John 10:1-10
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.
Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
Good News Reflection:
Are you at an impasse in your spiritual growth or emotional healing or a difficult relationship? Do you need a breakthrough? Do you feel stuck behind a fence that’s keeping you on the outside of peace, joy, satisfaction, or healing?
This Sunday’s Gospel reading tells us that Jesus is the gate in that fence. He helps us reach the heavenly side of the gate, outside the realm of earthly restrictions — not only when we die and enter eternal life, but also here and now in our earthly life, so that we might always “have life and have it more abundantly.”
When our path seems blocked, we can only make progress by letting Jesus shepherd us around and through and over the obstacles. If people shut a door on something that God wants us to do, Jesus is still our open gate and no one can close him out of our lives. He will lead us into a new opportunity for accomplishing the plans of God. If he’s given us a frustrated holy desire or a passion for which there seems to be no outlet, instead of complaining or quitting, we must look at Jesus and see him as a gate that opens into a new direction or location.
Remember, however, that until we get all the way through this gate, we must stick close to him like dumb sheep. There’s a journey to take before we can reach the other side of the fence.
The thief that comes to steal and slaughter can only reach us when we stray away from Jesus and we take our eyes off of him.
Despair and worry are two common thieves, robbing us of peace, joy, satisfaction, and healing. But they’re not as powerful as they pretend to be. We defeat them easily by remembering that they do not speak the full truth. The truth is: Jesus is our Good Shepherd safely guiding us into a life of abundant victory!
Questions for Personal Reflection:
What breakthrough are you hoping for? What’s frustrating you and seems hopeless? What’s causing you to think that a problem you’re facing might lead to disaster and destruction? What will you do this week to follow Jesus more closely so that you can get through this with more peace?
Questions for Group Faith Sharing:
Share the story of a time when you experienced obstacles and Jesus provided a breakthrough that led to victory.
Today’s Prayer:
My Lord, do not let me wander away from the path You have shown, and if I have not yet found it, take me to it by Your Divine Mercy. Amen.
© 2017 by Terry A. Modica
Tags: Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good News Reflection, Holy Gospel according to John.
