Fourth Sunday of Easter
Massimo Palombella
In today’s Gospel (Jn 10:1-10) Jesus defines himself as a “door”, and going through this “door” means for each of us to place life, to encounter “salvation”, to “find pasture”.
The person of Jesus is not only an example to imitate, an “ethical” model, but he is the centre of our life, “he is the One who knows us and loves us; he is the companion and the friend of our life; he is the beginning and the end; the alpha and the omega; he is the King of the new world; he is the secret of history; he is the key to our destinies” (Homily of Paul VI in Manila on 29 November 1970).
To pass through Him, to enter into His humanity, to remain in Him despite all the difficulties of life, is what ensures the true quality of our existence, it is what alone allows us to taste what ‘life in abundance’ means.
The Offertory Antiphon of today’s celebration is taken from Psalm 62 (Ps 62.2.5) with the following text:
“Deus, Deus meus, ad te de luce vigilo:
et in nomine tuo levabo manus meas, alleluia.”
(0 God, my God, from daybreak do I watch for you;
and in invocation of your name will I lift up my hands).
The attached music, in Gregorian Chant, is taken from the Gradual Triplex published in Solesmes in 1979. The interpretation can be found on YouTube. where there are no indications.
A blessed Sunday and heartfelt greetings.
