During this Easter season we are reading the Acts of the Apostles, which describes what happened at the beginning of the Church. First came Pentecost. You could not have a more spiritual occasion. The Spirit comes with power in wind and fire to each of the apostles. In today’s reading from Acts, Peter speaks filled with the Holy Spirit. The healing he has performed was only possible in the name of Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified and whom God raised from the dead. But how do we share in the power of the risen Christ? Peter did not tell crowds at Pentecost just to enjoy themselves and let the Spirit take them over. No, he told them that they must be baptized. They must become a member of the body of Christ, join a community, a church. After baptism the early Christians shared their possessions with each other and broke bread together. It was a religious group. Jesus tells us in the Gospel today that we are called to be part of His flock. At the heart of this flock, this community, is a God who shows His face in Jesus the Good Shepherd. He respects our freedom and nourishes and cares for us. He is willing to lay down His life for us when the wolf comes to attack. Jesus will sacrifice His own life in order to bring His sheep together, united in the one faith.
Together we are part of the body of Christ. And in turn we are called to bear witness to that divine love of Christ in the way we care for each other, especially when it challenges our individual selfishness. We could ask ourselves whether we imitate Christ in our pastoral care for our neighbors. Are we good shepherds to our family and friends? We have many weaknesses and are in constant need of reform. We need it to give our spirituality a constant push in the right direction towards justice, charity, and strong witness.