Today marks another step closer to Pentecost. As a Charismatic Catholic, Pentecost is one of my favorite days. Throughout today’s scriptures, there are a few sentences that I feel, can really stand alone.
In the first reading, Acts 2:14, Peter proclaims to the crowds in Jerusalem, “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain, that God has made both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” ***Wow, talk about a bold-faced accusation. But It’s the truth. I believe that the general population, at that moment, was no longer under Satan’s spell. Now facing what was a bloody, cruel injustice, they could feel their own guilt convicting them. Besides, no-one likes being told that they’re wrong. This was just too much!
The statement that stood out to me in 1Peter 1:24,25 is another simple thought that’s jam-packed with contemplative emotion. “By his wounds, you have been healed.” As the movie industry competes, trying to out-do each other in showing just how gory & gruesome Christ’s Passion was… The truth is very simple. Christ died so that we could live eternally, and appear spotless before God!
Our Alleluia refrain from John 10, is also very clear,“I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me. ***A cute thought that I had, was my own children, when they were very young. I would pick them up at the day-care. They were running around screaming. They were able to drown out all noise and voices… except one, mine. ***I (a sheep) follow Jesus, because now that I’m older, I fully understand the quote from Peter, “To whom should I go. You, Lord, have the words of everlasting life”.
Which leads us comfortably into our Gospel for today, John 10:1-10… “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate!! Whoever enters through me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.” ***JOY- JOY- JOY!!! Mark “G”, aka: Bro. BLU
