It is remarkable how much can change within a week. We should know this truth as Christians who have borne witness to the death and resurrection of the Lord, a truth which we still celebrate in this Easter season. Yet it can still be quite surprising to see this happen in real life. Standing up here last week, I did not imagine that I would return to this pulpit to declare that the mood against Christians has increased ten-fold within such a short span of time. And why has this happened? Why this increase in vitriol? You can probably guess, but it has to do with the leak from the Supreme Court over the potential of overturning Roe v Wade.
The amount of rage and anger that has exploded from liberals this week at the possibility that abortion will no longer be protected on a federal level has indeed been a marvel to behold. From politicians calling for impeachment of justices to the media types expressing anger at any barely to the right of them to numerous online people making threats and calling for riots and revolution, the anger has been beyond palpable. This last point about threats has been so great that many dioceses and parishes are on high alert due to threats of storming churches and protesting during Mass. It may feel like the situation we encounter in the first reading.
Paul and Barnabas are preaching to both Jew and Gentile the Good News of Jesus, His resurrection, and His gift of salvation to all. Many received this news with joy and were converted, joining the Church in the way of Christ. But St. Luke writes how the disbelieving Jews worked up a persecution of Paul and Barnabas to get them expelled from the territory in which they worked. Yet the passage does not conclude with the disciples feeling bitter or angry, but overjoyed that they suffered for the name of Jesus. Why would they rejoice when people have risen up against them? They rejoice because they are the sheep of the flock of the Lamb who suffered the same anger and was killed because of it, yet rose from the dead in triumph against His enemies.
The way of the Christian is not one of ease and comfort, but one of struggle. Struggle against sin from within ourselves as well as from without. Struggle against the wiles of the devil who prowls about the world, seeking the ruin of souls. And struggle against a world that has always been against Christ and His Church. We should not be surprised that the rage of the world exists or that it increases; we should instead be surprised that we are still in an easy position to live our faith without earthly consequences.
There is no victory without struggle; there is no triumph without conflict; there is no winning without fighting. As much as it is true in every other realm, it is most true in the life of the Christian. We will be hated for saying that there is only one God, that Jesus is the Word incarnate who died and rose from the dead, and that there is one Church filled with the Holy Spirit through which we receive salvation. We will be mocked for rejecting the ways of the world which pursue lust, greed, and hatred in rejecting God in the multitude of manners we see today. We will be pressured to conform, to join in with the flock of Satan who gleefully give in to every form of sin so that they may be satiated here without knowing the consequences that will come when they plummet into eternal damnation.
Yet the Good Shepherd calls to us: the few who listen, the few who have the opportunity to hear, the few who have hearts open to hearing. While it is true that the Good News is meant for all, we know that so many reject it each day in favor of following the wicked pastors of this age. This is why we hear Jesus pray over the chalice, declaring it to be the Precious Blood spilled out “for many” instead of “for all”. Not all will conclude their lives being sheep in the one flock of the Redeemer, but will remain outside forever when the Shepherd returns to gather His flock for the last time.
This is the vision which St. John beholds in the second reading: the great multitude who are clothed in white and wave palm branches in honor of the true King of the universe. They have survived the “time of great distress” which is every age of persecution and wickedness brought upon faithful souls. Purified by the blood of the Lamb, they have entered into everlasting glory to be freed of sorrow-hence why the elder says that “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” This could only happen because they were the faithful sheep of the Good Shepherd, because they heard His voice and followed Him no matter the difficulties, because no one can take them from His hand.
But we should not act as if we have already obtained this victory in union with Christ. We are still here below, surrounded by enemies who hate us, who wish to corrupt us and our children, who even desire our deaths if it satisfies their lust for sin. We must be strengthened by the grace of eternal life given us by our Good Shepherd to fight for Him and win the victory over sin, over Satan, over all His enemies and ours. There can be no compromise for we are all ultimately sheep, sheep who need a pastor. Either we shall follow the Good Shepherd who leads us to eternal life, or we shall obey the wicked pastors who draw us away from God and plunge us into eternal perdition.
Brethren, heed the voice of the Good Shepherd calling you to follow Him. Do not be afraid to bear witness to your fellowship in the flock of Christ to all you meet, even to those who reject and despise Him. Pray for the grace to remain united with Him in times of trouble or tribulation, and be close to Him in the sacraments He gives us through His one Church. If you want an example of how to do so, look no further than she whom we crown this Sunday in our parish: the blessed Virgin Mary.
I call upon her in particular for the women of our parish, especially the young women who are still growing up. Do not look to the ways of the world, which tries to subvert femininity to make women to be nothing more than pleasure seekers and birthing objects. Look to Mary to find the true model of femininity and discipleship: not rejecting of life, but open to the God who is life and desires life for us. She is the most faithful follower of the Good Shepherd and we should learn by her example. May the holy Mother of God pray for all of us to be true sheep who belong to the Good Shepherd in this life of tribulation and distress so that, with the Shepherd who is also the Lamb victorious over all, we may remain in the flock which shall not perish but shall rejoice for ever.
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