Fourth Sunday of Easter Cycle B Good Shepherd Sunday Acts 4:8-12; 1 John 3:1-2; John 10:11-18
One of my favorite aspects of the Easter Season is hearing from the Acts of the Apostles and seeing how the apostles and the early followers of Jesus had been transformed, led by the boldness of Peter.
My sister, who lives in Florida, told me of the homily she heard on Easter and how the priest said that if he was Jesus (he assured them he isn’t, and it’s a good thing that he isn’t), the first thing he probably would have done after the Resurrection was go knock on Pilate’s door. I told her I completely understood his comment, and I would have gone to visit Caiaphas and ask him what he thought now.
In essence, this is what Peter does in his confrontation with the Jewish leaders in our reading from Acts. We hear Peter challenge the high priest and all the leaders and elders for their part in the death of Jesus.
Speaking of how a cripple was healed, Peter says, “It was in the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead…” Last week, he was just as bold speaking to the people and saying how they acted out of ignorance. Quite the change for Peter who denied knowing Jesus, not once but three times, on Good Friday.
Next week we hear about Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, who also boldly preached the faith. He became as bold in preaching the Gospel as he had been in persecuting the Church.
What was it that changed these men? Was it their encounter with the risen Christ? Was it the Spirit that now lived in them? It was both.
This is the story of the Church. Starting with the ministry of Jesus, through his saving work, to the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost and through the ages, we are a Church transformed by encounters with Jesus and the Spirit. Former lives are left behind to become followers of Jesus Christ and great advocates in the Church.
Two great examples are Augustine and Francis. Augustine was a man of the world; some refer to him as a playboy of his time. He became one of the great doctors of the Church whose writings have inspired people throughout the centuries. The soldier Francis became the man of peace who continues to inspire the world with his message of peace.
These transformations give us great hope. No matter what our life has been like, the Spirit of God can transform us. No matter how we deny Jesus or how far we stray from him, he is the Good Shepherd who searches for us when we are lost and welcomes us home — the one who gave his life that we might live.
The presence of Jesus and the Spirit in our lives can create change, as it has done throughout history. In the sacraments, we have opportunities to experience Jesus and the Spirit in special ways. They enable us to change our lives just as they enabled saints throughout the ages. With those changes, we can be inspired by the Spirit to boldly proclaim Christ crucified, Christ risen from the dead, Christ who will come again.
Deacon Christopher Colville serves at Church of the Redeemer, Mechanicsville.