Fourth Sunday of Easter – Acts 2:14, 36-41; Psalm 22:1-6; 1 Peter 2:20-25; John 10:1-10

You need to make an effort

The Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday. In this Sunday’s readings, the teaching is in no way compatible with the sweet and maudlin view of faith that is often promoted today. “You must repent”, “save yourselves” – I hear Saint Peter say to the Jews listening to him. For unbelief, unbelief in Christ, will not bring you salvation. Strongly defiant in the face of today’s “theological correctness”.

“The merit, in the sight of God, is in bearing punishment patiently when you are punished after doing your duty. This, in fact, is what you were called to do,” – writes the same Peter in his letter. Contrary to the expectations from not so long ago that after the fall of communism, the kingdom of God will soon come to Europe. And Jesus, bluntly stating that “anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate – which is Himself – but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand”. A reprimand also to some of our contemporaries who correct Jesus by rejecting from His teaching what seems to them inappropriate to our modern times.

Yes, the teachings of Christ and His Apostles and our expectations of faith today are sometimes not the same.