HOMILIES

Dear Audience,
For better understanding of the spiritual message behind this homily I kindly remind you to first read and contemplate the biblical texts before reading or listening to my preaching - a human reflection on the Word of God!

Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year B)

Apr 26, 2015

4372

Listen Read

First Reading

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (4:8-12)

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said: "Leaders of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved."

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms of David (118:2-24)

(R) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. (R)

I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have been my saviour. The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. (R)

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; we bless you from the house of the Lord. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have been my saviour. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his kindness endures forever. (R)

Second Reading

A reading from the First Letter of Saint John (3:1-2)

Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Gospel

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (10:11-18)

Jesus said: "I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father."

(P) The Gospel of the Lord.
(R) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Homily

There is an ancient story. One day a curious young ocean fish said to an older fish, "I've asked many fish but no one could help me. You are much older than them perhaps you can tell me where to find this thing they call the Ocean?" The older fish in reply said, "The Ocean is what you are swimming in now." Oh, this? But this is only water. "I'm searching for the Ocean," said the disappointed fish as he swam away to continue the search.

Despite the profession of faith many of us might still be asking others where we can find Jesus. As a matter of fact we do not have to go around looking for Him, "for in him we live, and move, and have our being", Acts (17:28).

On Easter Sunday we read about Mary Magdalene's encounter with the Resurrected Jesus. On the Second Sunday after Easter, we heard the story of Jesus making two appearances to his disciples at two different times. Last Sunday we read about the two disciples, who after having encountered Jesus Christ on their way home to Emmaus, returned to Jerusalem to affirm the fact that the Lord had truly risen. As they were speaking Jesus appeared again in their midst. He imparted peace to them as a sign of his love and forgiveness, stretched out his hands and invited them to touch his wounds and even ate some fish to prove that he was real and alive. Later he opened their minds to understand everything written about him in the scriptures, and finally called on them to preach his Gospel and to be his witnesses to the whole world.

Today in the first reading from the book of the Acts of the Apostles we read how Peter and John, who had just a few days ago, locked themselves up in a room in fear of the people, stood before the same people unafraid and courageously testified to all that Jesus had said and done.

According to the scriptures, one day, as Peter and John were entering a temple, a beggar, who had been crippled since birth asked them for help. Peter said to him, "I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." The beggar miraculously stood up and entered the temple praising God. The healing infuriated the Jewish Council. They interrogated the two disciples and demanded, "by what power or by what name" they had healed the man. The disciples bravely testified that the crippled man was healed by Jesus Christ whom they had crucified but whom God raised from the dead. That is to say, no one else had healed the man, but Jesus Christ. Only Jesus brought him hope and courage. Only the name Jesus Christ saved him. This miracle and testimony occurred over two thousand years ago.

Here is yet another example from our own time. On April 22, 2015, Rev. Lee Stoneking, an apostolic Christian addressing the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York shared with them an amazing experience of his own. On November 12, 2003, Stoneking had a massive heart attack at Sydney airport in Australia. He was dead for forty five minutes. The medical team administered CPR, resuscitation and applied ten electric shock treatments to his heart but there was no response whatsoever. There was absolutely no hope for him at all. He was just a corpse. They put his body on a stretcher and carried it to an ambulance with a document certifying his death. However, on the way to the hospital, Stoneking believes that Jesus stepped on board the ambulance and his heart began to beat again and his breathing came back. The driver and paramedics were startled. They said to him later that they had never seen anyone recover from this kind of situation.

After several weeks, he returned to America and went for a major checkup, and found out that there was no trace of any heart disease. The doctor said to him that when God had miraculously raised him from the dead he totally healed him, and that he had totally defied all the laws of medical science. But he told the doctor it was Jesus who had healed him. At the end of the address, quoting the scriptures from the Book of Acts (2:28), "Repent and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit", Rev. Stoneking called on the people to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

When you hear the name of Jesus, what comes into your mind and heart? Do you have anger and hatred or joy and consolation hearing the name of Jesus? Do you feel how blessed you are by his cross and resurrection? When you look back on your past life, do you recall the times Jesus has rescued you?

Besides the stories of the apostles and Rev. Stoneking, you may have heard or witnessed many other miracles. And yet you might still exhibit a spirit of unbelief and remain in the darkness of sin. The testimony of the disciples and Stoneking remind us of our human helplessness to overcome sin and other obstacles with our own effort. We need someone who is perfect and holy, and supremely higher than we are - Jesus Christ to save us. Yes. Jesus alone can save us and bring us true blessings.

We need to call on him for hope and courage. Even if your life has been filled with hardships and tragedies do not fear because Jesus is with you, just live your life in his name. No matter what happens, face it and place your hope in Him, Christ the Risen Lord, the Savior and the Cornerstone, in whom you are blessed. Remember that Jesus shepherds you, and always directs you as his sheep and lambs, feeds you with his promises and strengthens you to resist temptations. Yes. With Jesus we can not only hope but also can have courage to move forward. Let us keep always Jesus and his teachings in our mind as we make our plans. As Saint Paul says, "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him", Colossians (3:17).

I pray and wish that the peace of God that surpasses all understanding may keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus!

(P) Amen.

God Bless You!

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