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E
ASTER
W
EEKDAY
Acts of the Apostles 11: 19-26
Psalm 87:1B-3, 4-5, 6-7
John 10:22-30
S
UMMARY
The reading from Acts describes the formation of the early Christian community
and how proclaiming the life of Jesus spread the key ideas of his ministry to other
people, as well as further inspired those already moved by his words and sacri-
fice. Our notion of what a disciple is emerges at this point. The Gospel of John,
on the other hand, outlines how those skeptics in the temple doubted Jesus and
asked for clear proof of who he was. The grace of belief was not with them, and
they did not hear His voice.
R
EFLECTION
Opposites attract, so the saying goes. These readings, as opposite as they are,
however, are best seen as parts of a long mural, where the end and beginning
meet. They are bookends of the Christian story. One begins with descriptions of
those who lack faith and demand plain examples of Christ˅s place vis-à-vis God.
The other ends with those so awakened by the Easter mystery of the Resurrection
that they act as fiery embodiments of faith, attracting many to the ways of Jesus.
Both readings illuminate for us the journey of becoming closer to the divine.
In fact, it is the sheer humanness of these readings that attracts us. Who hasn˅t
been suspicious at some point about something seemingly too good to be real?
Where is the catch? What is the empirical truth? The transformation of Jesus
from rabbi in the temple to the Son of God is His story, but it is ours, too. We re
-live it throughout the liturgical year, and it also serves not only as a guide to Je-
sus˅ essential message but also as an example of how one re-configures oneself
in the light of deepening faith and revelation. However, we do have to let our-
selves be open in order to truly hear His voice.
It is this readiness to transcend to a higher level of faith that the disciples and
early Christians did so well, as described in today˅s Acts reading. The formation
of the early Christians in Antioch, thus, also calls to us. We can examine our in-