Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis
with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk
Fourth
Sunday of Easter, Year C: Vocation/Good Shepherd Sunday – May 12, 2019.
Readings:
Acts 13:14.43-52; Ps 100:1-2.3.5(R.3a);
Rev. 7:9.14b-17 & Gospel – John
10:27-30.
Theme:
A Reflection on the Sacraments of Christian Vocation!
Introduction
Friends
in Christ, today being the Fourth Sunday of Easter and Good Shepherd Sunday, the
Church presents us with the Sacraments of Christian vocation or communion. The
Church invites us to pray
for an increase in priestly and religious vocation as well as fidelity to the
sacrament of marriage which breeds vocations. It is our prayer that those who
have embraced the vocation to the married life would nurture their children in
the faith to embrace working in the vineyard of God. We commend missionaries
who have left everything to follow Christ for God to renew their missionary commitment
so as not to grow weary in the work of evangelisation.
Background
& Summary of the Readings
The first reading (Acts 13:14.43-52) recounts how the Paul
and Barnabas made inroads among the gentiles who received the Word of God. Paul
and Barnabas spoke out fearlessly. We are told that the Word of God spread
throughout the countryside. This made the Jews jealous especially some leading
men and women who started persecuting the apostles and expelled them from the
territory. At this, the apostles shook the dust from their feet and went to
Iconium but the new converts were filled with the Holy Spirit.
The second reading (Rev. 7:9.14b-17) presents us with a
glimpse of the beatific vision. It discloses that John saw a great number of Saints
dressed in white – they were those who endured the trials, tribulation and
temptation and washed their robes in the blood of the lamb. The text assures
that they will never hunger or thirst again and the scourging wind will not
plague them because the lamb would be their shepherd and would guide them
through springs of living water as well as wipe away all tears from their eyes.
The
gospel (John 10:27-30)
reveals Jesus as a shepherd who pays attention to the voice of his sheep
because he knows them and they follow him. He assures them of eternal life and
emphatically states that no one can steal them from him because they were given
by the father, who is greater, with whom he is one.
Story
of Vocations
As a seminarian, in 2005, I had an unforgettable
experience while undertaking apostolic work under a missionary priest from
Congo in one of our parishioners. A parishioner lost one of his sons. The
priest invited me for a condolence visit to the house of the said parishioner.
When we got there, there was commotion. The man was in tears and so were his
wife and three other children. As expected, Father tried to console the man and
encourage the family to take the loss as the will of God.
But the man refused to be consoled and cried
profusely. While in
tears, he told the priest that he wanted to “donate” the son who died to God to
work in his vineyard as a priest. Father who was still trying to comfort him
said, “but you have other sons that you can give to God.” The man who became
more serious now cleaned his face and said, “No father, I cannot give God any
of these my ones. It is the one who died that I wanted to give God.” This story
tells how some parents are either unwilling to promote vocations or play pranks
with God. This brings us to the two sacraments of Christian vocation or
communion we have in the Church.
The Sacraments of Christian
Vocation
There are two Sacraments of Christian Vocation or
Communion in the Church. These are - Holy Orders and Holy Matrimony:
