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Exegesis Texts of the Readings
April 29, 2007 Fourth Sunday of Easter (C) Dr. Terrance Callan Acts 13:14, 43-52 X Rev 7:9, 14-17 X John 10:27-30
Eternal life comes to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. But it comes gradually, not immediately. First, this good news must be delivered to all people. Only at the end of time will all of us enter fully into eternal life. In the reading from the gospel according to John, Jesus refers back to a speech in which he presents himself as the good shepherd (i.e., John 10:1-18). In view of this image of himself, Jesus calls those who follow him his sheep, and says that he gives them eternal life. No one will be able to remove us from Jesus’ care because the Father, who is greater than all, has given us to Jesus. Jesus and the Father are one. Before his death and resurrection Jesus called people to follow him directly; and when they followed him, he cared for them directly. However, Jesus was able to do this for only a small number of people, in a limited geographical area, and for a short time. For Jesus to be the source of eternal life for all people, it was necessary for others to carry on his ministry after his death and resurrection. This is the mission of the church. The reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes one instance in which the church carried out this mission. Probably about 15 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus, Paul and Barnabas went to the city of Antioch in Pisidia (part of what is now Turkey) to proclaim the good news that eternal life is available through Jesus. Paul and Barnabas went first to the synagogue to announce the good news. Many Jews became their followers, and most of the people who lived in Antioch gathered at the synagogue to hear the Word of God. But when the Jews who did not accept the good news saw how attractive it was to everyone, they became jealous and opposed what Paul said. Because of this, Paul and Barnabas said they would turn their attention to the Gentiles. The Gentiles were pleased by this, and many of them accepted the good news. However, the Jews who had not accepted the good news continued to oppose Paul and Barnabas and had them expelled from the territory. This story shows us that the mission of the church is not accomplished easily. In addition to the difficulty of traveling to different places to preach the good news, Paul and Barnabas experienced severe opposition from those who did not perceive it as good news. However, this mission succeeded in bringing the good news of eternal life through Jesus to many people throughout the world, down through history. This mission has brought the good news to us. Now it is our turn to bring it to others. The reading from the Book of Revelation offers us a vision of the eternal life that ultimately comes to us through Jesus. Those who follow Jesus are pictured as a huge crowd, so large no one could count it, taken from every nation, race, people and tongue. They stand before the throne of God in heaven and before the Lamb, i.e., Jesus. They have survived the great trial; they have been faithful to Jesus despite the difficulty of doing so. “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” In the end Jesus will fully and completely be our shepherd. The Lamb will lead us to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. This hope can sustain us as we face the difficulties of following Jesus ourselves and calling others to follow him.
Terrance Callan
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