“...And I Will Lay Down My Life For My Sheep.”

04-21-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Manasseh Iorchir, VC

We know that the most important proof for the Resurrection of Jesus is neither the empty tomb on Easter Sunday nor the testimony of Mary, Peter and John the beloved who “saw and believed.” The most reliable proof for the Resurrection lies in examining the dramatic change in the attitude of the Apostles and disciples after the Resurrection in comparison to their attitude before the Resurrection. It is obvious that the Apostles exhibited attitudinal transformation after they saw Christ.

So radical was this change that the same men who were very afraid of the Jewish authorities after Christ was arrested found no problems in confronting the same authorities and placing culpability for the crucifixion of Christ squarely at their feet (Acts 4:10-11), declaring that salvation is exclusively a product of belief in Christ (Acts 4:12) and were readily prepared to joyfully die (Acts 7:59-60). It would have been logically impossible for the Apostles to risk their lives for a lie.

This dramatic change in attitude is what we see in the First Reading where Simon Peter, emboldened by the the certainty of Christ’s Resurrection and empowered by the Holy Spirit, told the leaders of the people that the cripple who had been healed at the beautiful gate received his healing in the name of Jesus Christ whom they (the leaders of the people) had despised and condemned to death, but whom God glorified with the Resurrection. He added that it is only through the name of Jesus Christ that anyone would be saved. The arraignment of the Apostolic duo before the Sanhedrin for healing a man in the name of Jesus Christ reminds us of the various ways Christians are made to endure persecution for doing what is right in contemporary society. In Nigeria and many other countries, Christians are kidnapped, driven away from their ancestral lands and even killed just for being Christians. In contemporary America, pro-lifers are being ridiculed, people who hold onto the sanctity of marriage are being called names and those who insist that Christ should have a place in our national life are not being listened to just because they have chosen to stand with Christ. Some Christians who have taken their faith seriously have had relatives who threatened to stop talking to and to disconnect from them if they did not compromise on their religious beliefs. There are also seniors who have been disconnected from their grandchildren just because they requested to have the little ones presented with an opportunity to be baptized so that they could enjoy a growing relationship with God. The list of subtle ways of persecuting Christians seems to be growing exponentially.

Whenever we are persecuted in any form for the sake of the truth for which we stand, we should remember that we are the sheep, the flock of Jesus, and that we are privileged to be following in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep and His sheep know Him, the Good Shepherd who does not run away from the wolf but lays down His life for His sheep in order to save them. It is this same Good Shepherd who demanded “if anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). If we are persecuted, we enjoy the privilege of being counted among the blessed sheep of Christ who live up to this unpopular demand. May we be aided by the abundance of grace to lay down our lives in various ways in love like Christ for our brethren so that our witness to the truth of His Passion, Death and Resurrection will not be limited to futile words.

Please be kind and may God bless you.

Fr. Manasseh