FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

Our Real Journey

Each day of Easter can take us a little farther on our journeys to opening our lives to God. In today’s first reading we hear about Paul and Barnabas's missionary journey to Antioch, where they shared the promise that God gave to all of us. They “spoke out boldly” about Jesus, who came into the world and who became one of us in order to open the gates of heaven and restore our relationship with God. Paul’s bold speech also unblocked this mission to the Gentiles: “I have made you a light to the Gentiles,” Paul says, quoting Isaiah. In other words, a mission to us Gentiles — you and I come from that move. Paul understood that in Jesus all people are welcomed into the journey toward God. Or, as we hear in today's second reading, people “from every nation, race, people, and tongue.” Jesus opened the gate to all of us and gave us the freedom to hear and understand his voice. 

God calls all of us to hear his Word and to grow in understanding about our calling. On the day I wrote this, I saw the new movie documenting the journey of Blessed Carlo Acutis (he is scheduled to be named a saint soon). Titled “Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality,” the movie is a story of a modern-day saint that confirms that God speaks to us in many ways. He even speaks to the very young. Carlo is proof of that, as he heard God’s voice and knew Him from a very young age. Just as we can be amazed at the gifts of music and knowledge that young people sometimes demonstrate, we see in this story how the unique gifts of Bl. Carlo Acutis opened the eyes of those around him and helped them to hear God’s voice and respond to it. 

Each day we are to listen for God’s voice. We are reminded of this in today’s gospel when Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” St. Benedict in his Holy Rule gives us a clue as to how to listen, saying we are to “listen with the ear of our hearts.”  Our busy world sometimes makes so much noise that it can be difficult to hear God’s voice and discern our real journeys. But like Bl. Carlo Acutis, we must be familiar with His voice. We can allow God to speak in our hearts through prayer, humility, obedience, scripture, and service. In doing so, we can better turn away from the noise of our culture and be open to a journey filled with God’s presence. 

–Sue Unger

Send Us Forth are reflections written by St. Matthew parishioners and friends