FIERCE WOLVES WILL COME IN…

Acts 20:28-38

28 Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of the LORD which he obtained with the blood of his own.
29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;
30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me.
35 In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”36 And when he had spoken thus, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And they all wept and embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 sorrowing most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they brought him to the ship.

John 17:11-19

11 And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13 But now I am coming to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I do not pray that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth.
18 As thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.

MEDITATION

THE FIRST READING: Paul is enroute to Jerusalem to partake in the annual feast of Pentecost (Shavout) that followed the feast of Passover  or Sabbath Sunday, when he decided to stop at Ephesus to adress and take leave  from the Bishops  ‘episcopos’ of the Church. The essence of Paul’s discourse suggest that the ‘Church’ of God has developed into an organized hierarchical structure that is universally governed by the Petrine office situated in Jerusalem.

Paul apprise the bishopric of Ephesus to be aware of false teachers that will surface amongst the bishops who will speak perverse things and seperate the flock in an intempt to break the body of Christ. To be sure, the first few hundred years saw many heritical teachers such as the: Monatists,Docetists,Sabellianists,Arianists, Gnosticists followed by Fr Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingly and John Calvin amongst others who seperated from the body of Christ each to his own brand of faith that devolved the body of Christ into a sorrowful state.

St JOHNS GOSPEL presents our Lords final words of thanks to the Father that He was able to keep the unity and guard the flock that was entrusted to Him. Notice our Lords words that “none” is lost but the son of perdition, meaning someone who is damned to eternal punishment. Our Lord is foretelling the fate of Judas Iscariot.

Our Lord wishes to encourage the twelve who are in the world, that they not be of the world with all it’s trappings and false narratives that depart from the gospel truths! Jesus consecrated [make holy] himself and now set aside[sanctify] the twelve so that they may remain true to the truth! Again here it is worth reflecting that despite Judas being “saved” it was not a guarantee of his eternal rest. We are called to seek, follow and hold to the Gospel Truth once delivered by Christ to His Church. The twelve were not given a hard copy of the new testament, they received the spoken word refered to as the Deposit of faith and Sacred Tradition that was eventually penned and ultimately canonized by the Church after three council meetings arround the fourth century. May we not fall prey to wolves with false teaching, but let us seek and hold to the orthodox teachings of Christ and His Church.

LET US PRAY: Psalms 68:29-30,33-35

29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem kings bear gifts to thee. 30 Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample under foot those who lust after tribute; scatter the peoples who delight in war.
33 to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; lo, he sends forth his voice, his mighty voice.
34 Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and his power is in the skies.
35 Terrible is God in his sanctuary, the God of Israel, he gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!

catholicwitnessct@gmail.com
Author: Henry R SYLVESTER
Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.