Fourth Sunday of Easter. Today’s readings: Acts 13,14.43-52; Revelation 7,9.14b-17; John 10,27-30
It was in early 13th century France that the Church embarked on a mission to quash the threat of the Cathars, sometimes also called Albigensians. The first major attack orchestrated by the Crusaders happened at Béziers. This is when, being unable to distinguish between the Cathar heretics (who tried to pretend they were not so) and the true Catholics, it is said that the abbot pronounced the infamous statement: “Kill them all; God will know his own”.
That God recognises his own after death is indeed reassuring. However, the words of Jesus in today’s gospel point to a mutual knowledge – between Jesus and his disciples – that has a huge bearing on our present life on earth: “I know them, and they follow me” (Jn 10,27).
Enigmatic Faith, 2015, Discern, by Fr Joe Inguanez and Rebecca GattA survey about faith that was conducted in Malta and published in 2015 in a book entitled Enigmatic Faith is indicative of where people stand in this relationship with the Lord. A total of 96.7 per cent of participants claimed they believe in God; 50.6 per cent claimed that religious faith is very important in their lives; 69.9 per cent said they do not always feel their faith; and only 33.2 per cent consider daily prayer as being very important.
It is an undeniable truth that Jesus knows his own. However, how much do we know him? Verily, such a question can only be answered if we evaluate our listening skills when it comes to the Lord’s voice.
An experience I had in my teenage years has left a deep impression on me. It happened at the time when the Mdina Flower Festival was in colourful bloom. A considerably older friend of mine and I had to meet his mother at the cathedral. Upon entering it, the murmuring sound of the many people commenting on the beauty of the flower decorations made me wonder how we could possibly find my friend’s mother. However, it only took him a few seconds before he picked out her voice and located her precise position in the church.
Noticing my surprise at how easily he managed to find her, he wisely pointed out that the reason why, unlike me, he had managed to find his mother was that he had been used to hearing her voice for many more years than myself, since I had only gotten to know her recently. Then he said it is the same with God: when we acquaint ourselves with his voice, we are more likely to pick it out from the myriad of worldly voices competing for our attention.
The believer’s longing to cling to and absorb Christ’s words is a response to God’s clutching the believer somewhat unyieldingly: “no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (Jn 10,29). Given the strong bond implied, no wonder the Christian philosopher Paul Tillich stated that the first duty of love is to listen. In the same vein, theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar opined that God does not answer those who ask, but those who listen. Only such a loving disposition better positions us to receive all that the Lord has in store for us, because he alone has words of eternal life.
God does not answer those who ask, but those who listen. Only such a loving disposition better positions us to receive all that the Lord has in store for us, because he alone has words of eternal life- Theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar
The reading from Acts presents us with the stark reality that God’s word is not bound, nor is it restrained. Anyone’s refusal to listen to it and accept it will not deter it from spreading rapidly to others. St Paul boldly said to some defiant Jews: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13,46). Christ’s voice, “like the sound of rushing waters (Rev 1,15),” gushes forth and flows like rivers among us till we allow it to make its home with us.