April 27, 2010
Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter
By Beth DeCristofaro
The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The news about them (in Antioch) reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart… (Acts 11:21-23)
I tell of Egypt and Babylon among those who know the LORD; Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia: “This man was born there.” And of Zion they shall say: “One and all were born in her; And he who has established her is the Most High LORD.” (Psalm 87:4-5)
My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. (John 10:27-28)
Piety
May it please the supreme and divine Goodness
to give us all abundant grace
ever to know his most holy will
and perfectly to fulfill it.
—St. Ignatius of Loyola
Study
No one can take them out of my hand, Jesus says, my sheep are MINE. The psalmist claims kinship with strangers because they know the LORD. And the “faithful” in Jerusalem begin to understand that the Lord speaks to “others” outside of the fold.
Goodness! God is both bold and broad in his definition of friends. God is so darn dedicated to those God loves and to those who love back … it is mind blowing. So mind blowing that Jesus appeared to his locked-up friends to bestow the Spirit of God upon them, opening hearts, minds, ears and lips to the movement of God in their lives. Cardinal Suenens in an interview said, “I do not pray for a Vatican III, I pray for a Pentecost II." A second Pentecost would sure help me as I attempt to discern God’s will, hoping God would just write it down on the notepad beside my bed for me. Being open to the Spirit allows to hear God and to find wisdom in our uncertainty as we truly look for meaning.
These readings remind me that God already includes me as loved family. I don’t have to be worried that I “know God’s will” in everything. Rather, by saying “yes” again and again to God, by spending time with God, I will be participating in God’s will most naturally. Being in God’s friendship is much more important than doing that one, right thing at each turn. Concentrating on being God’s friend, living in Jesus’ sheepfold helps me in those tough, confusing times when know where God is or what God wants for me becomes difficult. This divine Friend won’t let go my hand.
Action
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed a law this week requiring police who meet people during routine business to ask for proof of immigration status. This law makes it a criminal offense to be in Arizona illegally as opposed to federal law which counts illegal presence in the country as a civil offense, nor does federal law require proof of immigration status to be on one’s person. This bill was opposed by the state's three Catholic bishops and Los Angeles Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, who called the legislation "the country's most retrogressive, mean-spirited and useless anti-immigrant law," in his blog. (National Catholic Reporter)
I tell of Egypt and Babylon among those who know the LORD; Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia: “This man was born there.” (Psalm 87) Does our Christian-based country not want to extend Christian care to others anymore? There is a level of diatribe and hatred which is surprising on public airways and in political decision-making right now. Threatening and harassing people instead of working to fix ourselves and our flawed system is certainly not what Jesus would expect as he dined with tax collectors and sinners. Spend time with Jesus and listen. What is he saying about the least of his brothers?
