EASTER 4/B (04/21/2024): Ps. 23; Acts 4:1-12; 1 John 3:16-24; John 10:11-18
PASTURES/WATER
[The LORD] makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters (Ps. 23:2).
Jesus identifies himself as “the Gate” (Jn. 10:7, 9) and “the Good Shepherd” (v. 11, 14). How and where is he “gate”; whom does he shepherd; and to where and what does he lead?
Jesus engages the religious establishment, whom St. John calls “the Jews”. It is the fall festival of Tabernacles; later his “Shepherd” polemic will continue into winter’s Hanukah’s temple re-dedication; both festivals were oriented on temple and Altar ingathering.
Romanticizing Scripture can be risky, however if Psalm 23 recalls for us the image of Jesus feeding 5,000 and later 4,000 as a sign of future Eucharist, we may not too far off the mark. The problem is that such a picturesque pastoral is incomplete and misleading.
Rather Jesus is “Good Shepherd” in New Temple realities. He is not a lakeside pic nicer; but the Crucified One destined the dwelling place of God. As such the pasture and water of Psalm 23 speaks to eucharistic feeding (Ps. 79:13, 95:7); our provision in the “house of the LORD forever” (23:6b).
Today’s Gospel is not a parable. Sheep are not pets, nor are we; as Jesus is Lamb of God, Christians with him are destined for slaughter. The only question is whether we are killed in his sacrificial offer to God for sin; or die amidst an unbelieving world, food for demons; either way sheep are for slaughter and consumption. Our pasturage is the flesh of God’s Lamb.
Early in Jesus’ ministry St. John has him driving-out the temple sacrifices. About this, his disciples in the Resurrection remembered, “Zeal for Thy house will consume me” (Ps. 69:9; Jn. 2:17). Therein Jesus is our bread, meat, drink, our pasture, that so fed we too might be sustenance for brothers and sisters.
On the eighth “great day” of Tabernacles Jesus cried during its “Water Ceremony”, “Out of my heart shall flow rivers of living water” (for thirsty sheep, Jn. 7:37-38). At night’s “Ceremony of Lights”, Jesus declared, “I am the Light of the world” (8:12), that his sheep might follow him to a new exodus on his coming Passover sacrifice.
Jesus told “the Jews”, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was, I Am.” (v. 58), at which they picked up stones, much as he cleansed their temple in driving out merchants. Jesus now excommunicate was outside his Father’s house looking in.
Having departed the temple Jesus came upon a man blind from birth. He anointed the man with spittle and mud and directed him to a baptismal washing in the Pool of Siloam. Like Adam, begotten of moistened earth, the former blind man was now sighted for the things of God in Jesus, Light of the world.
On one hand, was a Jewish convert; on the other, unconverted “shepherds” blinded for hatred of Jesus. “The Jews” instituted legal proceedings against the former blind man and on his confession of being Jesus’ disciple (v. 27) was excommunicate.
Outside the Community of God, apart from Zion, the Church there is no life, only death. For hatred of Jesus, “the Jews” were intent to murder a brother, proving themselves “hirelings” and “blind guides” of the sheep (10:12, 13).
Jesus searched-out this one lost sheep (cf. Lk. 15;1-7), restored him to salvation into his Synagogue (Jn. 9:35-38), in-gathering him into his coming death (10:11), appropriating Scripture’s “Shepherd and Lord”.
Cain and Abel were shepherds of brothers and sisters; Abel’s sacrificial offer to God, best of flock, was received by God, which engendered Cain to jealous murder. God heard Abel’s split blood for vengeance (Gen. 4:10-12).
Cain was banished from the Community of Life; yet received from God a mark of grace that he not to be mistreated for his sin. On the cross Jesus, offered his blood poured into the earth, praying, “Father, forgive them …” (Luke 23:34).
By nature, we are brothers and sisters of Cain in need of mercy and a gracious mark of grace. Holy Baptism is our mark for gracious forgiveness. Like Cain, and the man blind from birth, we in Christ receive grace for sin. Jesus is God’s Way, “I Am the Gate; if anyone enters by me, he will be saved … and find Pasture” (Jn. 10:9).
The old temple consisted of increasingly restrictive courts leading to the Holy of Holies, each more dangerous than another advancing on the holiness of God. The advance was connected through courtyard gates admitting fewer Israelites until, on the Day of Atonement only the High Priest might enter God’s presence.
The gate permitting the priesthood to the Altar of sacrifice was the “Nicanor Gate” before which steps rose from the Court of the Women, on which stood the liturgical choir chanting its Psalmody.
Jesus having laid down his life for the sheep is our “Nicanor Gate” for priestly entrance before the Father with Jesus, our High Priest. Lord’s Day to Lord’s Day we join our Shepherd in his once for all eucharistic sacrifice to receive God’s pasturage for hearts made new for brotherly love.
How then, do we enter before the Father in his NT Holy of Holies? St. John tells us, “[I]f anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in Truth” (1 Jn. 3:14b, 15a, 16a, 17, 18).
Love is not an abstraction or mere feeling; it descends upon us, first as unmerited grace for Christ’s sake, then in faith we recognize murderous hearts with Cain unto repentance and plea for mercy.
God marks us by water, blood, and Spirit from Christ crucified. In Baptism’s fellowship we possess love’s maturation to discern the needy among us; to hear pain, trouble, suffering, and all who have wandered from the faith.
As for the world, we give what the church has, inviting all to apostolic instruction. Our love is not so much talk, but the deeds of Truth (1 Jn. 3:18) directing all who will hear Jesus, “… the Good Shepherd … [who] lays down his life for the sheep” (Jn. 10:11). Amen.
pem.