28 April 2024: Fifth Sunday of Easter B

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Acts 9:26-31	Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32	1 Jn 3:18-24	Jn 15:1-8
RCL: Acts 8:26-40		RCL: 1 Jn 4:7-21

Eastertime: different ways of living out discipleship

In the Easter season, Jesus appears to his disciples and explains his resurrection’s meaning; reveals himself as good shepherd, true vine, and one who has laid down his life; and prays for those whom he sends into the world. This week’s readings focus on developing discipleship practices.

First reading (Acts 9:26-31)

The first reading is the fifth part of an eight-week, semi-continuous reading from the Acts of the Apostles, written in the late 80s by the same author as Luke’s gospel. Acts continues the story of Jesus and his believing community: the resurrected Jesus returns to the Father and sends the Spirit. Luke’s sequel is the story of the Spirit’s continuing actions in Jesus’ believing community, primarily in the words and actions of Peter and Paul.

In today’s pericope, Paul makes his debut in Jerusalem as a believer in Jesus. Because the Jerusalem community knew Paul only as a persecutor (“they were all afraid of him,” see Ac 7:58-8:3), Paul needed Barnabas’ testimony and sponsorship to make him creditable and acceptable to the Jerusalem leadership and disciples. (Gal 1:18-20 may refer to this visit.) Paul explains his personal encounter with Jesus (Ac 9:3-5), conversion, and mission (Ac 9:19-20). As in Damascus (Ac 9:23-24), Paul’s preaching about Jesus gets him in trouble, this time with the Jerusalem Greek-speaking Jews (“Hellenists”). The disciples get him out of town and send him off to his hometown (“Tarsus”) in Cilicia. Despite the episode with Paul, Luke’s closing summary describes the believing community’s growth as peaceful and abundant throughout the region.

The Lectionary editors chose this reading to show how the risen Jesus, through the Spirit, continues to work in the ekklesia.

Second reading (1 Jn 3:18-24)

The second reading is the fourth part of a six-week, semi-continuous reading from the First Letter of John. John the Elder wrote his letters (1 John, 2 John, 3 John) between 100-115 AD to various Johannine communities (ekklesiais), a network of house-churches probably centered around Ephesus. He urges the communities to unity by clearly stating teachings on the incarnation, the love command, the Spirit, the nature of sin, and end-time expectations.

In today’s pericope, the Elder reassures his believing community that, although their hearts might be troubled, they do have eternal life. A recent schism destabilized and traumatized the Johannine community (1 Jn 2:18-19). To encourage his community, the Elder presents evidence that disciples “do love in deed and truth.” First, disciples who “keep [God’s] commandments (“love one another” and “believe in the name of Jesus”) and “do what pleases” God, already belong to the “truth.” Second, disciples who are unsure if they “belong to the truth” should be further consoled (“reassure our hearts,” “have confidence in God”) by God’s continuing care (“receive . . . whatever we ask”). Next, if disciples still feel anxious (“whatever our hearts condemn”), they should know that “God is greater than our hearts;” that is, God loves us and judges us with greater kindness than we judge ourselves. In ancient thought, the “heart” is the seat of human moral choices; today we would call it conscience. Finally, God continues to abide (“remaining in [God] and [God] in us”) in the believing community, and disciples experience God’s presence in the Spirit (“the Spirit [God] gave us”).

The Lectionary editors chose this reading to continue the Easter story of Jesus’ transformative and saving act, and to see how disciples interpret and reinterpret Easter.

Gospel (Jn 15:1-8)

In John’s gospel pericope, Jesus metaphorically describes how he continues to remain-in-relationship with his disciples, sustaining and nourishing them. Using a vineyard image, Jesus connects his unity with the Father and his unity with his disciples. Hebrew scripture uses vines and a vineyards as symbols of Israel (Ps 80:8-19, Is 5:1-7, Jer 2:21, Ez 17:6-8, Ez 19:10-14, Hos 10:1, Ec 24:27). Jesus opens his metaphor with an “I AM” saying, suggesting that he envisions the disciples as the restored Israel.

• The Father’s pruning. The Father is “the vine grower” who tends the plants, cutting off non-productive branches, and cutting back good branches so those branches will produce more fruit. Jesus wordplays on the words “take away” or “cut off” (αἴρω/aírō) and “prune” or “cut back/make clean” (καθαίρω/kathaírō), which sound similar in Greek. Jesus also puns on καθαίρω/kathaírō‘s double meaning (“to prune” and “to purify, to make clean”), telling the disciples that his teaching (“the word I spoke to you”) has already “cleaned them up” to bear abundant fruit.
• “Remaining-in-relationship” with Jesus. Jesus is the “vine” that connects, nourishes, and sustains each branch. John uses the Greek verb μένω/ménō, which means “to remain” or “to abide,” to emphasize discipleship’s relationship aspect: μένω/ménō includes the idea of remaining in relationship or continuing in association. John describes his own believing community’s experience: those who broke relationship with Jesus and left the community (the schism in today’s second reading) stopped producing spiritual fruit and became spiritually dead. Remaining-in-relationship with Jesus makes the Father’s glory visible in a disciple, who continues Jesus’ mission: to reveal the Father to the world.

Summary and reflection

Jesus’ resurrection has many meanings and many implications. Throughout the Easter season, the readings invite us to reflect on this cosmos-changing event. Luke shows the recently converted Paul seeking connection with the Jerusalem community. John the Elder consoles his fractured community with evidence that they are remain-in-relationship with God. Jesus’ vine metaphor suggests that remaining-in-relationship also means acting in service and love to glorify God.

The resurrection gives us hope and purpose, but daily life’s differing human views and competing needs can quickly blunt our best intentions. Today’s readings highlight different ways to discover and to practice discipleship. We sympathize with Paul, whose zeal causes fights wherever he goes, while we also appreciate the believing community, who work quietly as the Spirit builds up its numbers. We get comfort from the Elder, who urges us to trust God’s loving-kindness and to love one another, although we might still worry that we’re not doing enough. We need only to listen to Jesus, who calls us to remain-in-relationship with him and continue his work in the world.

—Terence Sherlock

21 April 2024: Fourth Sunday of Easter/Good Shepherd Sunday B

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Acts 4:8-12	Ps 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29	1 Jn 3:1-2	Jn 10:11-18
RCL: Acts 4:5-12		RCL: 1 Jn 3:1-7	RCL: Jn 10:10-18

Eastertime: discontinuity, new understanding, reinterpretation

In the Easter season, Jesus appears to his disciples and explains his resurrection’s meaning; reveals himself as good shepherd, true vine, and one who has laid down his life; and prays for those whom he sends into the world. This week’s readings focus on continuing descriptions, new insights, and reinterpretations of resurrection.

First reading (Acts 4:8-12)

The first reading is the fourth part of an eight-week, semi-continuous reading from the Acts of the Apostles, written in the late 80s by the same author as Luke’s gospel. Acts continues the story of Jesus and his believing community: the resurrected Jesus returns to the Father and sends the Spirit. Luke’s sequel is the story of the Spirit’s continuing actions in Jesus’ believing community, primarily in the words and actions of Peter and Paul.

In today’s pericope, the Sanhedrin questions the disciples’ authority to heal and to teach, just as they had questioned Jesus (Lk 20:1-2). Empowered by the Spirit, Peter answers as before (see last week’s first reading, Ac 3:12-13): God, through Jesus’ name, accomplished the lame man’s healing (“in [Jesus’] name this man stands before you healed”). Peter implies that God, in raising Jesus (“whom God raised from the dead”), has overruled the Sanhedrin’s judgement and death penalty against Jesus (“whom you crucified”). Peter then cites Ps 118:22-23, a favorite early Christian testamonia (collected thematic texts from Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings that refer to Jesus, used for teaching and liturgies). Peter applies the psalm, which originally describes Israel oppressed by other nations but rescued by God, to Jesus, executed but raised by God from the dead. Peter also implies that God’s power to heal/save is greater than any human power. God’s healing of the lame man is a sign of Israel’s restoration and foreshadows the promise of salvation for all who believe (“there is no salvation through anyone else”).

The Lectionary editors chose this reading to show how the risen Jesus, through the Spirit, continues to work in the ekklesia.

Second reading (1 Jn 3:1-2)

The second reading is the third part of a six-week, semi-continuous reading from the First Letter of John. John the Elder wrote his letters (1 John, 2 John, 3 John) between 100-115 AD to various Johannine communities (ekklesiais), a network of house-churches probably centered around Ephesus. He urges the communities to unity by clearly stating teachings on the incarnation, the love command, the Spirit, the nature of sin, and end-time expectations.

In today’s pericope, John the Elder reminds his believing community that they are God-begotten, that is, God’s adopted children through baptism. God’s love for them proves that they are God’s children. Those outside the community (“the world”) do not and cannot truly know who believers are, because outsiders do not recognize Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection (“did not know him”). Although believers are fully God’s children now, they will become something even greater when glorified at Jesus’ parousia (“what we shall be has not yet been revealed”). Whatever happens, believers will encounter God directly: “know God as God is.”

The Lectionary editors chose this reading to continue the Easter story of Jesus’ transformative and saving act, and to see how disciples interpret and reinterpret Easter.

Gospel (Jn 10:11-18)

John’s pericope is part of Jesus’ longer good shepherd discourse (Jn 10:1-42). This pericope continues Jesus’ confrontation with the Pharisees in Jerusalem (begun in Jn 9) and his critique of their words and actions. This reflection touches on only a few themes in John’s rich and complex discourse.

• Good and bad shepherds. Hebrew scripture tradition uses a positive shepherd image to refer to God (Ps 23). During the monarchy period, Hebrew scripture also identifies the king, political leaders, and religious leaders as either good or bad shepherds. Torah calls for a leader who will ensure the people are not “like sheep without a shepherd” and the prophets denounce Israel’s compromised political and religious leaders as “bad shepherds.” Ezekiel issues a long complaint about bad shepherds, followed by God’s promise to seek out God’s sheep and place a Davidic shepherd over them. Jesus points to human leaders (“hirelings”), both historical and current, and how they failed God’s people (“no concern for the sheep”).
• “The shepherd, the good.” The Greek word καλός/kalós means “good,” but it can also mean “true,” “perfect/ideal,” “noble,” or “beautiful.” John uses a special Greek construction (“I am the shepherd, the good”) that emphasizes the shepherd’s goodness or ideal-ness, and invites hearers to consider the shepherd’s nature, and the nature of his truth or goodness. Jesus is saying that not only is he a good shepherd, but also that he is the ideal, perfect, and true shepherd (“lays down his life for the sheep”).
• Laying down his life and taking it up again. Jesus says the Father loves him because he willingly lays down his life in service to all (life of ministry, death on the cross), and then takes it up again (the resurrected life). Jesus fulfills the Father’s plan of salvation (“command”). Jesus is not a victim; he deliberately gives away his life as a self-gift of love.

Summary and reflection

Jesus’ resurrection has many meanings and many implications. Throughout the Easter season, the readings invite us to reflect on this cosmos-changing event. Peter, inspired by the Spirit, tells the Sanhedrin that healing and salvation is available to all only through Jesus’ name. John the Elder reminds his believing community that the Father loves them now; they will come to know God even more intimately when God reveals the Godself at the end-time. Jesus describes his love for those in his care and his relationship with and mission from the Father.

Jesus’ resurrection creates a great discontinuity in human history: such a thing never happened before. The readings describe early believers coming to understand Jesus’ earthly words and actions in light of his transformative death, resurrection, and glorification. In what places or through which people do we experience healing and saving? In what places or through which people do we find God’s love for us? What images and metaphors can and do we use when describing God’s love for us and our love for others?

—Terence Sherlock

14 April 2024: Third Sunday of Easter B

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Acts 3:13-15, 17-19	Ps 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9	1 Jn 2:1-5a	Lk 24:35-48
RCL: Acts 3:12-19			RCL: Lk 24:36b-48

Eastertime: working through resurrection’s meanings

In the Easter season, Jesus appears to his disciples and explains his resurrection’s meaning; reveals himself as good shepherd, true vine, and one who has laid down his life; and prays for those whom he sends into the world. This week’s readings focus on the believing community’s continuing work to understand the resurrection’s meanings.

First reading (Acts 3:13-15, 17-19)

The first reading is the third part of an eight-week, semi-continuous reading from the Acts of the Apostles, written in the late 80s by the same author as Luke’s gospel. Acts continues the story of Jesus and his believing community: the resurrected Jesus returns to the Father and sends the Spirit. Luke’s sequel is the story of the Spirit’s continuing actions in Jesus’ believing community, primarily in the words and actions of Peter and Paul.

Immediately before this pericope, Peter and John encounter a lame man, who asks for alms. The Greek word ἐλεημοσύνη/eleēmosýnē can mean “alms,” but more often it means “mercy,” “pity,” or “God’s kindness.” Instead of giving the lame man money, Peter commands him to walk. Luke’s wordplay suggests that the lame man asks only for alms, but instead receives God’s mercy: God heals his lameness. In today’s pericope, Peter’s speech further interprets the lame man’s healing. God, not Peter or John, is the source of this mighty work, through the messiah Jesus (“[God’s] servant”). Peter retells the events of Jesus’ transformative death (“handed over,” “denied,” “asked for a murderer,” “put to death”) and resurrection (“God raised him,” “we are witnesses”). Summing up Hebrew scripture, Peter says that Jesus is God’s fulfillment of all the prophets’ promises. Echoing the prophets, Peter then calls the people to metanoia (change of mind/heart, “conversion”).

The Lectionary editors chose this reading to show how the risen Jesus, through the Spirit, continues to work in the ekklesia.

Second reading (1 Jn 2:1-5a)

The second reading is the second part of a six-week, semi-continuous reading from the First Letter of John. John the Elder wrote his letters (1 John, 2 John, 3 John) between 100-115 AD to various Johannine communities (ekklesiais), a network of house-churches probably centered around Ephesus. He urges the communities to unity by clearly stating teachings on the incarnation, the love command, the Spirit, the nature of sin, and end-time expectations.

In today’s pericope, the Elder states the purpose of his writing: to instruct his believing community in how to live, and so to avoid sin. At times, even the best-intentioned people will fail to “hit the mark” in imitating Jesus (“to sin”). The good news is that Jesus (the “Advocate”) continues to intercede with God for humans. Jesus’ transformative death frees all humans from their sins (“he is expiation for our sins”). Humans “know” God through a personal relationship, not through intellectual or factual knowledge. We express this “knowing” by keeping God’s commandments, especially the love command (Jn 13:34-35, Jn 15:9-17). Those who claim to know God but who do not love do not live in “truth.” Only those who love find God’s love present and in full measure (“perfected”).

The Lectionary editors chose this reading to show a disciple’s correct response to Jesus’ transformative and saving act.

Gospel (Lk 24:35-48)

Luke’s appearance story parallels John’s appearance to the disciples in the upper room (last week’s gospel, Jn 20:19-29). In today’s pericope, Luke shows the risen Jesus is the same person the disciples knew; Jesus explains his ministry and charges the disciple to continue his work.

• Proof of Jesus’ identity. Because the disciples still don’t understand what resurrection means, they interpret Jesus’ presence as a spirit (πνεῦμα/pneûma) (“ghost”). Jesus shows them his wounded body to confirm his identity (“it is I, myself”) and his humanity (“flesh and bones”). When the disciples recognize Jesus, they experience joy and amazement. They offer the hungry Jesus “fish,” a sign of the messianic feast’s abundance. In this sign Luke suggests that, with Jesus’ resurrection, the eschatological age has now begun.
• Meaning and continuation of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus repeats what he told the Emmaus disciples (Lk 24:25-27). Using Hebrew scripture, he explains how his ministry, death, and resurrection fulfill God’s promises in Torah (“the law of Moses”) and in the prophets (“prophets and psalms”). Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus completes God’s saving plan (“forgiveness”). The disciples, his “witnesses,” will continue his mission, carrying his message (“preaching in his name”) to all nations.

Summary and reflection

Jesus’ resurrection has many meanings and many implications. Throughout the Easter season, the readings invite us to reflect on this cosmos-changing event. Peter connects the lame man’s healing with God’s saving plan, calling his hearers to metanoia. John the Elder instructs his believing community how to live and to know God. Luke shows the risen Jesus confirming his identity and inviting his disciples to continue his eschatological mission.

Today’s readings show the believing community still working out the meaning of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Throughout the Easter season, modern believers continue to examine and to find new paths of discipleship in Jesus’ words and actions. If God’s saving plan is for each of us and for all of us, how do we turn our hearts toward inclusivity? If God calls us to a personal relationship, how can we know God unless we love others? If we say we are resurrection witnesses and disciples, how are we continuing Jesus’ work in joy and hope?

—Terence Sherlock

7 April 2024: Second Sunday of Easter/Divine Mercy Sunday B

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Acts 4:32-35	Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24	1 Jn 5:1-6	Jn 20:19-31
		RCL: 1 Jn 1:1-2:2

Eastertime: to see, to experience, to act, to know, to encounter

In the Easter season, Jesus appears to his disciples and explains his resurrection’s meaning; reveals himself as good shepherd, true vine, and one who has laid down his life; and prays for those whom he sends into the world. This week’s readings focus on seeing the risen Jesus in the believing community’s life, shared belief, and personal encounters.

First reading (Acts 4:32-35)

The first reading is the second part of an eight-week, semi-continuous reading from the Acts of the Apostles, written in the late 80s by the same author as Luke’s gospel. Acts continues the story of Jesus and his believing community: the resurrected Jesus returns to the Father and sends the Spirit. Luke’s sequel is the story of the Spirit’s continuing actions in Jesus’ believing community, primarily in the words and actions of Peter and Paul.

In today’s pericope, Luke opens a window into the first community’s inner life. Luke’s description of the believing community as “being of one heart and mind” and holding “everything in common” reflects the Greek ideal of friendship. Luke’s mention that “there was no needy person among them” refers to the Jewish ideal of covenant justice, found in Dt 15:4. Luke shows the apostles coordinating the community’s spontaneous sharing of possessions (community members place money and goods “at the apostles’ feet,” the apostles distribute everything “according to need”). While in this pericope Luke presents the early ekklesia‘s life ideally, he follows this rosy picture with two, real-world examples: Joseph Barnabas’ success story (Ac 4:36-37) and Ananias and Sapphira’s failure (Ac 5:1-10).

The Lectionary editors chose this reading to show how the risen Jesus, through the Spirit, continues to work in the ekklesia.

Second reading (1 Jn 5:1-6)

The second reading is from the First Letter of John. John the Elder wrote his letters (1 John, 2 John, 3 John) between 100-115 AD to various Johannine communities (ekklesiais), a network of house-churches probably centered around Ephesus. He urges the communities to unity by clearly stating teachings on the incarnation, the love command, the Spirit, the nature of sin, and end-time expectations.

In today’s pericope, the Elder restates how believers are “begotten by God:” those who believe Jesus is the Christ, and those who love the Father. Those who love God keep God’s commandments, especially the law of love towards others (“the children of God”). God’s commandments are not difficult for believers (the ones “begotten by God”); through their faith (“believing that Jesus is God’s son”) they conquer the world and share in Jesus’ victory. The Elder then describes Jesus’ three witnesses: water, blood, and the Spirit. “Blood” and “water” point back to John’s gospel and the human witnesses to Jesus’ death on the cross (Jn 19:34-35). “Water” and “blood” also suggest Jesus’ baptism and his earthly ministry. “The Spirit,” the third witness, is the Spirit present in the believing community who continues to “testify” to the water and blood; “the Spirit is truth,” encouraging the community to recognize the truth about God’s love and believing in Jesus.

The Lectionary editors chose this reading for its Easter themes of baptism, service, and discipleship, beginning Eastertime’s semi-continuous reading from 1 John.

Gospel (Jn 20:19-31)

John’s gospel tells two post-resurrection appearance stories, continuing last week’s stories about Mary Magdalene, Peter, and the beloved disciple. These stories, about the disciples in the upper room and about Thomas, also describe different ways of coming to faith.

• The disciples in the locked upper room are afraid because they have not yet seen Jesus. John uses the Greek verb εἴδω/eídō, which means “to see and to recognize physically.” Jesus somehow enters through locked doors and stands among them, addressing his friends with “Shalom,” the traditional Jewish greeting of God’s peace and wholeness. Jesus shows them his wounded body to confirm his identity and his humanity. When the disciples see and recognize (εἴδω/eídō) Jesus, they rejoice.
• Thomas, who has not yet seen Jesus, is skeptical of the disciples’ report. John uses the Greek verb ὁράω/horáō, which means ” to see and to experience.” Thomas demands not only to see but also to poke Jesus’ wounds as a condition of his believing. When Jesus again enters through locked doors and stands among all his disciples, he invites Thomas to see and thoroughly examine his wounds so that Thomas can come to belief. John doesn’t say what Thomas did; he reports only Thomas’ confession of faith: Jesus is Lord and God. Thomas believes because he sees and experiences (ὁράω/horáō) Jesus. How much more blessed are those who come to belief without seeing and physically recognizing (εἴδω/eídō) Jesus? John writes this blessing for his own late-first century believing community (and for us) who never personally saw, knew, and physically encountered the earthly Jesus.

John recounts Jesus’ signs in his gospel so that hearers and readers come to believe Jesus is the messiah and God’s son. Through this belief, they also come to eternal life.

Summary and reflection

Jesus’ resurrection has many meanings and many implications. Throughout the Easter season, the readings invite us to reflect on this cosmos-changing event. In Acts, Luke shows how the community’s Spirit-filled life continues Jesus’ words and actions. John the Elder reminds his community that the love commandment is their witness to God’s love and to believing in Jesus. John the Evangelist again shows how each disciple experiences and understands the mystery of Easter differently.

Discipleship requires that we keep “seeing” Jesus in new ways and in new contexts. Where is Jesus present in our faith communities, social networks, and civil government, ensuring that there is no needy person among us? Do we recognize Jesus in the children of God who depend on our love and our witness to the truth? Is Jesus standing before us, waiting for us to come to faith and to continue his mission?

—Terence Sherlock