May 7, 2017
Two sentences of today’s gospel really got my attention: “Jesus told the people this story - but they did not understand what he was talking about” and “I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest”, have life “abundantly”. Are we familiar with the image of the shepherd and of the sheep? Those who accompanied Jesus didn’t understand him, do we understand what Jesus wanted to say? It’s all about “life”, about food, about security – then, in the time of Jesus, the ideal image for life, food, security were the sheep and the shepherd: the sheep looking for food and for shelter, the shepherd protecting them from thieves and from wild animals. We certainly do have similar experiences, but in the 21st century we have other images, probably more complex and more varied. For us today, we may say that we as human beings are dependent from others when it comes to our lives. This interdependence is nothing new, but we speak of it in a different way than Jesus. Jesus promises us “life in abundance” – this is more than just more food, more security. When I studied “political economics”, I learnt about the “pig principle”: “more is better than less” – more goods, more money, more security, more food, people always want more… - maybe this is what makes our economies run. But, this is not what Jesus wants to offer, the life in abundance Jesus offers has to do with human relations, with our relation to him and with our relation to others. We depend upon others – and the bible text illustrates this when it speaks of the sheep, of the shepherd, of thieves and of people destroying what belongs to others. We depend upon others – so we have a responsibility for one another. We are responsible for the lives of others, for their dignity, for their welfare. Indeed, our Christian faith is political – because the main topic of politics is life, or at least should be “life in dignity” for all. As Christians, we can never take our distance from politics – and the Church as such is also always political. The text in the gospel of John is political. It deals with our responsibility for each other. But then there is also a religious dimension in this text. The religious leaders want to influence the life of others. They want to give to others the rules and directions and laws, and they judge others. And here Jesus opposes them fundamentally. Jesus says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me”. Jesus is the one who offers the way to the Father, not the religious leaders. I would like to invite you to reflect about some questions the text puts to us as individuals and as a community. What responsibility do I, do we have for the lives of others, and how do I see my role: am I more like an open door or do I send others away? Am I a door for others towards life, a door to God – or am I like a thief: only taking, never giving? My longing for life, for life here in this world and for life beyond this world, what has this longing got to do with Jesus, with my faith? A part of the answer is what we do together in this Eucharist: share bread and wine, share Christ’s body and blood in this meal so as to become one body. Another part of the answer could be the hospitality reception after this Eucharist, could be the meal you will have at home – share what gives us life: bread and wine like in the Eucharist, any meal we take together. Unity in the community, in the family is certainly also a sign for this life we all long for, this life in abundance Jesus promises to all of us. Let us not forget this aspect of belonging to Jesus and his friends, of being sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus when we have lunch together today.
Fr. Wolfgang Felber, SJ