Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Jesuit Churches: Memorial of Saint Peter Canisius, Priest and Doctor of the Church
The Acts of the Apostles records one of the most foundational controversies in the early Church, a controversy whose resolution would set the trajectory for Christianity from that first century onward. Whom had Jesus the Messiah come to save? Just before the Ascension of the Lord, the apostles had asked questions that showed they still thought of the Messiah as a local political figure: a descendant of David who was to reestablish an earthly kingdom. With the coming of the promised Holy Spirit at Pentecost, however, they understood that the salvation which Jesus brings is a salvation that exceeds the limits of a local kingdom, a salvation that exceeds all the limits (geographical, political, or otherwise) of this world. But was it a salvation that was to be focused just on the people from whom Jesus had come? Interestingly, part of the resolution that we hear in today’s first reading is found simply in Saint Peter’s testimony to the Church in Jerusalem. This apostle whom Christ had singled out to be a sign of unity and a confirmer of the faith bears witness to the solemn declaration that God had made to him. The Church receives Peter’s witness: “When they heard this, they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying, ‘God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too’” (Acts 11:18).
Yet today, we must ask: do we hold to this resolution of Peter and the first generation of Christians? Do we hear and believe what the Good Shepherd says? “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” (John 10:16). At times, a spirit of despair concerning Christ’s salvation arises in our minds. This spirit shows itself in a tendency to mention the name of Jesus only within the local limits of occasional conversations with other Christians. Or in a supposition that perhaps the Lord laid down His life so only for those already baptized.
Today, let us ask our Good Shepherd to remind us of the limitless nature of His love shown in the Cross and Resurrection. Let us ask the apostles, who proclaimed Jesus’ love to our forebears, to intercede for us that we may have a share of Christ’s Holy Spirit to speak to our neighbors, our friends, our enemies, to all about the Good Shepherd who has loved them to the point of laying down His life for them. May we follow this Good Shepherd as Peter does, so that the world may hear Christ’s voice, so that we may indeed be one flock united by our one Shepherd.