We are his people, the sheep of his flock
Last week my ninth grade students took a test on The Acts of the Apostles. I asked two questions on the test: the first question asked them to define Gentile. A Gentile is a non-Jew, so basically anyone who is not Jewish. The second question was: At the Council of Jerusalem, what did Christian leaders, who were mostly Jewish-Christians, demand of the Gentile converts? The answer is that they decided that Gentile converts did not need to sacrifice animals but should abstain from eating anything the Jews would consider unclean. The Jews, especially the more devout Jews, followed strict rules and regimens.
Notice in verse fourteen in the first reading from Acts, Paul and Barnabas took THEIR seats in the synagogue. This verse implies that Paul and Barnabas had reserved seats. The Jews were begrudgingly accepting the teaching from Paul and Barnabas that ‘all are welcome to receive the teachings of Jesus Christ’, so they allowed Gentiles to enter the synagogue. Most of the Jews had their seats in the synagogue, but did not allow the Gentiles to sit there. Many of us have our favorite pew in Church, and some of us get annoyed when we arrive at mass and see that our pew is occupied. As I look out from the altar, I see many of the same parishioners seated in the same pews every week. Each year, we welcome new converts to our congregation, but how many of us are willing to give ‘our pews’ away to the new Catholics?
In this reading from Acts, the Jewish leaders, the devout Jews, were jealous of the size of the crowds, many of whom were converted as Christian-Jews. They were stirred to violence against Paul and Barnabas. Can you imagine if we did the same in our churches today? The Gentiles were overjoyed that Paul and Barnabas seemed to be sticking up for them. The Gentiles are like the sheep mentioned in the Gospel reading for this Sunday. “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me (JN10:27). Are we like the Jews who declare themselves to be righteous? Are we like the Jews who pray out loud only to be heard by others? Are we like the Jews who wear nice clothes only to be seen by others? Are we like those who talk the talk but will not walk the walk? Or are we like the Gentiles who glorify the Word of the Lord (like in the first reading from Acts) and know the Lord like the Sheep (in the Gospel reading)?
Today’s Gospel Reading reminds me of a very good book titled “A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm” by W. Phillip Keller. The author actually has experience as a shepherd. He explains that if a stranger attempts to corral his sheep into a gated sheep-fold the sheep will not go. But if the shepherd commands his sheep to enter, they will easily go into the corral because they recognize his voice. We go to our Church because we are comfortable there. We know our priest’s and deacon’s voices. But we should realize that there are always others among us who are new to the congregation. Our best Christ-like activity that we do here at Saint Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church is welcoming all visitors with open arms, even if they sit in our pews!
Dcn. Mike McDonald