4th Sunday of EasterYear A - 7/5/2017 - Gospel: Jn 10:1-10
Gates
Every single day we go through a number of gates or doors and from time to time we don't pay much attention of their existence. Doors become a part of our lives and part of a living. We need them for security protection, keep warm and for privacy such as house doors, bedroom doors, bathroom and car doors. Some gates are free for everyone to enter such as public parks, shopping complexes; some gates serve as a privilege for membership only such as school gates for students, pubs and clubs for registered membership. Entertainment centres have gates that serve as a filter to control the numbers, for security checks and for keeping out ticket invaders.
Most of the gates we can enter by our own will. There are gates we don't want to enter but the choice is not ours. Hospital gates bring both hope, joy and grief. There is another gate that brings peace of mind for those who would love to enter it and that is the Church's doors. There is another door in the Church when a person enters unhappy but walks out happy and feel the burden of life light and that is the door of the confessional box. It is a good door to have in our lives. The gate at a cemetery is the symbol of separation and parting. It is the unwanted and final door and we have not much say in it. Those who believe in the Risen Lord their grave is only a temporary resting place, waiting to join the Risen Lord because he has removed the stone that once covered the final door.
After the resurrection, physical barriers were no more a problem for Jesus. He was able to go through a locked door more than once- Jn 20,19 and 20,26. The Risen Lord had no trouble with space and time as he vanished from the sight of the disciples at Emmaus and instantly appeared to the other disciples seven miles away Lk 24.34. I believe the stone that once covered the entrance of his tomb that was rolled on to one side was for us to know that Jesus had gone, his body once was there and it would no longer be there. The linen was neatly folded indicating that the empty tomb was not robbed but it was well look after. During his public ministry Jesus gave life back to his friend Lazarus and told the people 'unbind him, let him go free' Jn 11,44 . He told his apostles 'untied' the cold Lk 19,30. The Risen Lord has moved the stone and his burial linen was unbound and folded. The women and the apostles went to the tomb to see his resting place but not the body because he had risen. We are called to share the final victory; the glorious resurrection of Jesus but how much we share it depends on how we participate in his Passion. The more we participate in his Passion, the more we share his glorious resurrection.
The Good Shepherd parable seems to suggest that the risen Lord, the gatekeeper who loves life, protects life and is the giver of life. Those who go through him he knows them by names and they know his voice and listen to him. The gatekeeper gives them everlasting protection and keeps them from harm and danger. Those who try to enter by other means will not receive the same privilege.
Most of the gates we can enter by our own will. There are gates we don't want to enter but the choice is not ours. Hospital gates bring both hope, joy and grief. There is another gate that brings peace of mind for those who would love to enter it and that is the Church's doors. There is another door in the Church when a person enters unhappy but walks out happy and feel the burden of life light and that is the door of the confessional box. It is a good door to have in our lives. The gate at a cemetery is the symbol of separation and parting. It is the unwanted and final door and we have not much say in it. Those who believe in the Risen Lord their grave is only a temporary resting place, waiting to join the Risen Lord because he has removed the stone that once covered the final door.
After the resurrection, physical barriers were no more a problem for Jesus. He was able to go through a locked door more than once- Jn 20,19 and 20,26. The Risen Lord had no trouble with space and time as he vanished from the sight of the disciples at Emmaus and instantly appeared to the other disciples seven miles away Lk 24.34. I believe the stone that once covered the entrance of his tomb that was rolled on to one side was for us to know that Jesus had gone, his body once was there and it would no longer be there. The linen was neatly folded indicating that the empty tomb was not robbed but it was well look after. During his public ministry Jesus gave life back to his friend Lazarus and told the people 'unbind him, let him go free' Jn 11,44 . He told his apostles 'untied' the cold Lk 19,30. The Risen Lord has moved the stone and his burial linen was unbound and folded. The women and the apostles went to the tomb to see his resting place but not the body because he had risen. We are called to share the final victory; the glorious resurrection of Jesus but how much we share it depends on how we participate in his Passion. The more we participate in his Passion, the more we share his glorious resurrection.
The Good Shepherd parable seems to suggest that the risen Lord, the gatekeeper who loves life, protects life and is the giver of life. Those who go through him he knows them by names and they know his voice and listen to him. The gatekeeper gives them everlasting protection and keeps them from harm and danger. Those who try to enter by other means will not receive the same privilege.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia