Healing for the Soul

Year B: Fourth Sunday of Easter

The disciples were evidently excited when, after a brief initiation into the reign of God, they were able to heal diseases and cast out demons. They came back in high spirits and poured out their success story to the Master: “The demons are subject to us in your name!” Jesus gently put the lid on their enthusiasm with these words: “It’s good to work miracles, but don’t get too excited about such things. If you want to know what to get excited about, it’s that your names are written in heaven.” With these words, he shifted the focus of their enthusiasm from the natural satisfaction of success to what apostolic ministry is actually based upon—the work of the Spirit within us.¹ —Thomas Keating

Year B, Fourth Sunday of Easter, April 21, 2024

First Reading: Acts 4:5-12

Psalm: Psalm 23

Second Reading: 1 John 3:16-24

Gospel: John 10:11-18

Sermon - Healing for the Soul

In our gospel reading today, Jesus compares himself to a good shepherd who willingly lays down his life for the sheep. Hired hands may run when the wolves come, but the good shepherd will stand and be willing to give his life for the flock.

What is shocking about this passage, though, is that Jesus goes on to claim that while his current flock hears his voice, there are others out there who do not necessarily belong to the “in crowd.” These other sheep will be gathered into the flock of Christ, and they will all be one flock, and he will be their one shepherd.

In this new flock, Jesus provides healing for all. Even those who might not have got in on the ground floor are invited to participate in the love of the shepherd.

This radical love of the shepherd is exemplified in his sacrificial death on behalf of his sheep. What appears to be a victory for the wolf is transformed into good news for the flock as well as for those who would later be invited into the flock.

In Acts 4, Peter draws on this imagery of life-giving death and resurrection in his defense of John and himself.

In Acts 3, John and Peter healed a lame man at the gate of the temple. Everyone knew who this man was because he had been lame and begging since birth. While Peter and John couldn’t offer him silver and gold, they could heal his legs. Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk” (Acts 3:6).

Immediately, he jumped to his feet and began to walk. The people recognized him and were amazed. Peter took this opportunity to deliver a sermon, which we covered last week, and he and John were quickly arrested.

The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Acts 4:5–7

In other words, “Who gave you the authority to heal people and make these claims about Jesus?”

Or to put out a different way, “Who authorized you to come onto our turf and teach the people without our permission?”

In réponse to this, Peter does something pretty clever. He starts by calling out the obvious: “You guys are upset that a good deed was done to a man that was sick.”

Isn’t it interesting how humans like you and me can be so resistant to change, even if it is healing and noble and good?

Why do we do that to ourselves?

But Peter drops a word in here that we miss out on in our English translation; it’s the word '“healed.”

It’s the word sōzō (pronounced “sodzo”). Don’t forget it.

Then, Peter says that it is through the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth that this man was healed, and it was this Jesus that the religious leaders had crucified but that God had raised up.

Peter then quotes Psalm 118, a passage that is widely used in the New Testament, but he changes the wording to make the psalm apply to them: “the stone that was rejected by you, the builders…”

Immediately after this, Peter says, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Now here’s what’s cool. The word translated “saved” is sōzō!

Peter is saying that the healing of the lame man at the gate is a way of proclaiming that Jesus is the one who can bring true healing to the soul, and Peter is offering this healing to the very ones who he accuses of crucifying Jesus, just as he did in Acts 2 and Acts 3.

As a shepherd in the flock of Jesus, Peter wants everyone to listen to the voice, receive healing, and come into the fold (1 Peter 5:1-4).

Psalm: Goodness and Mercy Pursue Me

Thanks, Christina

The 23rd Psalm is arguably the most popular psalm. “The Lord is my shepherd…” There’s an interesting line towards the end of this psalm which says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…” (Psalm 23:6). When I think about following someone, what immediately comes to my mind is following my mom in the car on the way to Bible class. I also picture a son following his father on the beach, or a group of anxious hikers following their group leader along the mountain pass. I even think of how we follow Jesus. 

But the word “follow” here means something a little more intense. The idea is that goodness and mercy pursue those who are in the flock of God. 

God “leads beside the still waters” and “leads in right paths.” This imagery may make us think that our relationship with God is a one way street: God is on the move, and it is up to us to keep up. But this psalm clues us in to the fact that God is just as much, if not more, in pursuit of us.

The Hebrew word translated “follow” is used 144 times in the Hebrew Scriptures. Over half of the time this word is used, it conveys the idea of one being pursed or in pursuit. One army pursed another, Pharaoh led Egypt to purse Israel towards the Red Sea, and God is said to pursue Israel's enemies. 

In this way goodness and mercy pursue us. God’s grace, God’s kindness, and God’s love are constantly on the move. God seeks us out in the wilderness, sweeps the house to finds us, and asks us to be apostles even when we might deny Jesus three times. 

God is in pursuit of us. Perhaps it’s time to slow down enough to let grace catch up. 

Thanks so much for keeping up with this blog. If you have any suggestions, recommendations, or critiques, you can always comment here or reach out through my website: https://danielr.net.

1. Keating, Thomas. The Mystery of Christ: The Liturgy as Spiritual Experience. New York: Continuum, 2008. Print.