4th Sunday of Easter, year ’C’ 17th April 2016
“My sheep listen to his voice; I know them and they follow me.”
This little gospel passage opens us up to the Way Jesus is.We already know this but now it is fully revealed.
The relationship of Jesus with his Father gives us Jesus’ essential relationship with his sheep. He is the true Shepherd, at the image of the Father : the Father so loved the world that he gave his only Son! This is the comprehension of the passage which calls to what was live in he very bosom of the Father. He has us enter into a new universe. Jesus said ’I am the Good Shepherd’. Indeed, we can have confidence in God.
In great humility, he takes up the Word : ’My sheep hear my Voice.’
Jesus’ Voice is the Holy Spirit who opens up the way of the Father. It is this voice we grasp in the Apocalypse at the sight of a big crowd of believers :
’It is they who washed their robes and whitened them in the Blood of the Lamb. This is why they are before the throne of God serving him day and night in his temple ; and the One who sits on the throne will spread out his tent on them. Never more will they suffer from hunger nor thirst ; never more will hey be over come by the sun, nor by any burning wind. For the Lamb who is there in the middle of the throne will be their shepherd and he will lead them to the sources of the waters of life.’
“I give eternal life to my sheep ; they will never perish and no one will snatch them away out of my hand.”
So as to deliver us from death, Jesus has died so as to put us back into life - he is Risen. He has crossed the absolute ordeal of death, from which he came out victorious. He brings Peace to us, Joy and the call to be witnesses of his Infinite Love. Jesus calls each sheep by his name and he opens up for them a path of life which is going to incarnate itself in the life of humanity. Under his loving and benevolent protection, he leads humanity towards the Father. Thus eternal Life is revealed, reconciliation triumphs in daily life, in death, despair and jealousy. We can follow the path of Jesus the good Shepherd who offers himself up and we can enter into praise.
The disciples are filled with joy and the Holy Spirit, they can glorify God very joyfully. The witnesses of this happiness enfold faith, for they too are destined for eternal Life. The Light and Truth of the infinite Love of God does its work of Peace.
“My Father who has given them to me is greater than all, and no one can snatch anything away out of my father’s hand. The Father and I are One.”
It is the perspective of the unity of Love to which each one of us is called to become in his Name that has been given to us.
Our belief is that life has joined us, that it leads us on a road to life which is also the way for all. Jesus nourishes our communion in the common mission to announce Him, the Risen Lord. We become signs of the Resurrection that animates us from the inside, betrothing the deepest and most secret parts of our being, where the Father and Son dwell. This very intimate knowledge given by the Bridegroom is recognised as a secret of the heart, a gift of Love for the Bride.
To the gift of love of Jesus, corresponds the welcome and fidelity of Mary. It is with her that we come to welcome God’s gift of Love for each one of us.
’I give them eternal Life’ said Jesus.
This eternal Life is the Love of the Father and of the Son, the Holy Spirit.
In his humility, Jesus says again to his disciples ’The Father and I are One.’
In this way we find once more the unity of the disciples and of Jesus.
The Holy Spirit comes in help of our weakness. Those who are ahead of us in faith have traced a path for us as we follow Jesus the Good Shepherd. Moved once more by this same Spirit today, we can do marvels, for He is intervening for us.