Surprised by Joy: The Fourth Sunday of Easter 2025

                                                           Surprised by Joy:

The Fourth Sunday of Easter 2025 

May 11, 2025

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Acts 13:14-52; Psalm 100; Revelation 7:9-17; John 10:27-30

 

The Gospel passage is certainly key for Christian discernment. The voice to whom we are to listen and to follow is that of Jesus Christ, our Pastor and Shepherd. He knows there are other voices that try to speak for him, and oftentimes they from ideologies and interpretations. Christ is the one to whom we must speak and listen in prayer. We cannot go wrong if we develop a relationship with him so well that we can always discern his voice.

 

We see that the early church wrestled with monumental and transformative decisions. It is akin to what we are experiencing in the church and society today. In biblical times, Paul and Barnabas were having great success bringing converts into the faith, a faith centered about the God of the Risen Jesus. These new arrivals brought their joy and their numbers into worship services, and these Gentile Jews were treated with disdain and made to feel unwelcome. The conservative Jews within their midst instigated jealousy and resentment against them, and ran them out of town, with death threats. The claims of the conservatives were that the faith was being diluted and relativized, and they were violated long-held customs.

 

We have the same debate within our Church today where some people listen to the mandate of Jesus to welcome the stranger, shelter the migrants, have good relations with neighbors, and to include those who seek a spiritual life with God. Others will hold the Tradition (with a Capital T) as the highest law, and it cannot be violated. This capital T Tradition is defined as the teaching of the Popes, the Cardinals, and offices of the Vatican. Holding fast to Catholic ideals will keep you safe from sin and you will not become diluted like other traditions. You will hear this group of people appeal to the Catechism or a church teaching or a Cardinal’s statement, while the other group will appeal to Scripture itself and the common good. The debate between interpretations began at the very outset of the faith, and the one to interpret it is the Risen Jesus.

 

As the Church listens to the words of Jesus and all the Hebrew Scriptures, it always tends towards to practice of inclusion. As Jesus is the unique interpreter of God’s mind and attitudes, Jesus asks us to love our neighbor as ourselves and to practice corporal works of mercy. The tent of the church is large, and it is not up to us to decide who gets to be a part of it. It is Jesus who calls people to follow him and to live according to his way. Some today may be uncomfortable with those who are called to be a part of the church, and they will struggle as the conservative Jews did as the church welcomed Gentiles. This church ultimately belongs to Jesus. He is the one who will call people to live the way he intends for them. Discipleship is a progression towards holiness within a community. We must welcome anyone who calls upon the Lord and learn new aspects of being in community together. This education can be fun and enlightening, and ultimately heartwarming. We must expand the tent to anyone who seeks Christ. We may be surprised by joy as Paul and Barnabas were when Gentiles experienced a conversion of heart. Let us try to keep to that same attitude as we welcome people of distinction into our community. Like the disciples, we can be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. 

 

Scripture for Daily Mass

Monday: (Acts 11) The Apostles include the Gentiles into the community after solemn deliberation. Peter lifts the Jewish dietary laws for them declaring that, “God granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too.” 

 

Tuesday: (Acts 11) Those who had been dispersed since the persecution that followed Stephen’s stoning began proclaiming the story of Jesus Christ to their new communities. The number of converts increased dramatically.  

 

Wednesday: (Acts 12) The word of God continued to spread, and the number of disciples grew. At Antioch during prayer, the Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

 

Thursday: (Acts 13) In Perga in Pamphylia, Paul stood up and told the story of God’s deliverance of the chosen people from bondage and slavery. God’s work continued in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.

 

Friday (Acts 13) The whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord, but strict Jews opposed Paul and Barnabas and claimed they told the wrong story. 

 

Saturday (Acts 13) The Gentiles were delighted when Paul and Barnabas opened scripture for them and those them of their inclusion as God’s elect. Salvation was accessible to them too.

 

Gospel: 

Monday: (John 10) The Good Shepherd tales continues as Jesus describes to his friends the characteristics of a self-interested person who pretends to be a shepherd. The sheep know and trust the voice of the good shepherd. 

 

Tuesday: (John 10) During the feast of the Dedication, Jesus declares he is the good shepherd and that he and the Father are one.

 

Wednesday (John 10) Jesus cries out, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me.” Jesus speaks and acts of behalf of the Father.

 

Thursday (John 13) Jesus makes “I am” statements and he shows he does the work of the Father when after he washes the feet of the disciples, he says, “I am.” 

 

Friday (John 14) In his farewell discourse, Jesus consoles his friends. He tells them that the is going away but will soon return to take away their fear. 

 

Saturday (John 14) He reassures that that since they know the mind and heart of Jesus, they also know the mind and heart of the Father

 

Saints of the Week

 

May 12: Nereus and Achilleus, martyrs (early second century), were Roman Imperial soldiers who converted to Christianity. They left the army and were martyred when they refused to sacrifice to idols during Emperor Trajan's reign.

 

May 12: Pancras, martyr, (d. 304)was a Syrian orphan who was brought to Rome by his uncle. Both soon after converted to Christianity. Pancras was beheaded at age 14 during the Diocletian persecution and buried on the Via Aurelia. A cemetery was named after him, but his remains were sent to Northumbria in England where six churches are dedicated to him.

 

May 13: Our Lady of Fatima is a name given to Mary after she appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal between May 13 and October 13, 1917. During her appearances, Mary stressed the importance of repentance, ongoing conversion, and dedicated to the heart of Mary through praying the Rosary. 

 

May 14: Matthias, Apostle (first century) was chosen after the resurrection to replace Judas who committed suicide. In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter, quoting a psalm, told 120 people who gathered that they were to choose a new apostle - someone who had been with them from the baptism of Jesus until the resurrection. Two names were put forward and the assembly cast lots. Matthias was chosen.

 

May 15: Isidore (1070-1130), was born in Madrid to a family of farm laborers. With his wife, he worked on an estate and became known for his piety and generosity. His remains are the cause of several miracles most notably the cure of King Philip III who became his sponsor for canonization. 

 

May 16: Andrew Bobola, S.J., priest martyr (1591-1657), is called the Martyr of Poland because of his excruciatingly painful death. He worked during a plague to care for the sick, but he became "wanted" by the Cossacks during a time when anti-Catholic and anti-Jesuit sentiment was high. His preaching converted whole villages back to Catholicism and he was hunted down because he was termed a "soul-hunter."

This Week in Jesuit History

 

• May 11, 1824. St Regis Seminary opens in Florissant, Missouri, by Fr. Van Quickenborne. It was the first Roman Catholic school in USA for the higher education of Native American Indians 
• May 12,1981. A letter of this date, from Secretary of State, Cardinal Casaroli, speaks positively of Teilhard de Chardin in celebration of the centenary of his birth (May 1,1881). 
• May 13, 1572. Election of Gregory XIII to succeed St Pius V. To him the Society owes the foundation of the Roman and German Colleges. 
• May 14, 1978. Letter of Pedro Arrupe to the whole Society on Inculturation. 
• May 15, 1815. Readmission of the Society into Spain by Ferdinand VII. The members of the Society were again exiled on July 31, 1820. 
• May 16, 1988. In Paraguay, Pope John Paul II canonizes Roque Gonzalez, Alfonso Rodriguez, and Juan del Castillo. 
• May 17, 1572. Pope Gregory XIII exempted the Society from choir and approved simple vows after two years of novitiate and ordination before solemn profession. In these matters he reversed a decree of St Pius V.