The Cornerstone, The Shepherd, The Father - Life Altering Revelations of God's Heart

Julie South [00:00:05]:
Welcome to your Catholic Corner. Peace be with you. I'm your show host, Julie south. Your catholic corner helps Catholics spiritually prepare for each Sunday's mass mid week. Each week you can listen to your catholic corner@yourcatholiccorner.com. Today we are uncovering the biblical gems hidden in the books of the acts of the Apostles, one of John's epistles, and the Gospel of John in catholic speak. We're in the fourth Sunday of Easter in year B. The format for today's show is a question and answer Q and A with a listener question of the week.

Julie South [00:00:51]:
We'll look at the possible connections between the three Bible passages being read at this upcoming Sunday's mass so we can better understand why they might have been selected to be read together. We'll look at those passages. We'll pray them together, and then I'll share my reflections on what I think God is saying to me and how I understand God's personal nudge to me. Remember that when two or more are gathered in Jesus name, like we are here and now with you and me, he is here with us. The Bible passages that we're reading from today are act the apostles, chapter four, verses eight through twelve John's first epistle, chapter three, verses one through two or one and two, and John's Gospel, chapter ten, verses eleven through 18.

Julie South [00:01:50]:
But before that, a quick word about your catholic corner, just in case this is your first time here. Regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey, whether you've only just heard of that man called Jesus, you're new to Catholicism or you're a cradle Catholic, my prayer is that your catholic corner will help bring God's word to life in your heart through insights, reflections and practical applications that help deepen your relationship with God. Every Thursday we'll start preparing for mass by uncovering the richness hidden in each Sunday's Bible readings, from Old Testament prophecies to gospel parables.

Julie South [00:02:32]:
I invite you to join me and.

Julie South [00:02:34]:
The parishioners of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hamilton, New Zealand, sponsors of your catholic corner so that together we can hear God's word in echo. Samuel, speak, Lord, your servant is listening. Now let's get back to today's show.

Julie South [00:03:02]:
This week's question of the week is what is meant by Protestant and how did it come about? Now this is a really great question. It's one I asked and kept asking way back in the beginning of my exploration with God in Jesus days as well. So thank you for asking that question. Let's have a look at it. The word Protestant refers to a pretty major branch of Christianity that started during the Protestant Reformation in Europe. That's capital P, Capital R, the Protestant Reformation. It's an official term, and it happened in Europe in the 15 hundreds. At that time, a catholic monk named Martin Luther challenged some of the Catholic Church's teachings and practices.

Julie South [00:03:56]:
He was especially critical of church leaders at the time for selling indulgences. And these were payments people could make to reduce punishment for their sins. Luther wrote down 95 arguments against indulgences and nailed them to a church door. In Germany, this famous event kicked off what's known as the Protestant Reformation. More and more people agreed with Luther's ideas. Many groups broke away from the Catholic Church, protesting against its authority. So that's how the Protesters, or the Protestants, got their name. Some key protestant beliefs were different from catholic teachings.

Julie South [00:04:47]:
For example, Protestants emphasized being saved by faith in Jesus, not by doing good works. Some of them did not accept the pope's authority. They didn't see the pope as head of the church. Other protestant leaders, like John Calvin and John Knox, started their own churches as well, their own protestant churches today. Protestantism, that's a hard word. Protestantism is still one of the three major forms of Christianity. Others, as we know them, are us here with Catholics. So Catholicism and orthodox Christianity.

Julie South [00:05:30]:
Some major protestant denominations are Lutheran, Anglican, Baptist, and Methodist churches, although there are thousands of others as well. Some of them are more like us Catholics than not. While the denominations have some differences, they share core protestant beliefs, and these include the Bible as the highest authority, not church leaders. Salvation by faith in Jesus alone, and all glory is to God alone. So, as you can see, and I hope this helps explain what, how protestant Protestantism came about and emerged. It was from people back in Germany in the 15 hundreds protesting against the Catholic Church during a time of major religious reform in Europe. Protestant faiths make up a very large part of Christianity worldwide today. Hope that's helped answer and explain what protestant is and how it came about.

Julie South [00:06:49]:
Please remember that I'm only too happy to answer any questions that you might have about becoming or attempting to answer about becoming Catholics, about becoming catholic, or why Catholics, us Catholics, do what we do. You can send me your questions at your catholic corner.com. This coming Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Easter in year B, we are reading from act, the apostles first letter of John and John's Gospel. Now, what connects these three, three specific Bible passages? This coming Sunday, let's have a look through a catholic lens. First of all, they all talk about salvation through Jesus. Which makes sense, right? We're in Easter, so there's going to be a connection, a strong, binding connection for all three. In acts, Peter says that only Jesus can save us. In John, Jesus calls himself the good shepherd, quite a famous term, even for non Catholics.

Julie South [00:08:17]:
For non Christians, many have heard of that term. This is where it came from, today's reading and the good shepherd. And it's Jesus who lays down his life to save his sheep, us being the sheep. The second connecting theme is that the name of Jesus has power. In acts, Peter says, no other name in the world can save people. In John, Jesus the shepherd knows each sheep by name. He knows you, he knows me, he knows us. And a third connecting theme is that Peter has a key role in acts.

Julie South [00:08:57]:
Peter's the one preaching about Jesus to the leaders. This shows that he's got authority way back in the early church. And then finally, God's love shines through as it always does, which is pretty much with any Bible passage that you read, really. So we've got God's shining love now in the letter from John, God loves us like children. And Jesus the shepherd dies out of love to save his sheep. That's us. This shows that God has unconditional love for us, for you, for me, for everyone who believes. So listen out, because this fourth Sunday of Easter in year B, we have the focus on salvation in and through Jesus, the power of Jesus name, Peter's leadership, and the awesome love from God and Jesus.

Julie South [00:10:11]:
Now, with all of that as the backdrop, let's pray these three Bible passages together. The first reading is a reading from the acts of the apostles filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter said, rulers of the people and elders, if you are questioning us today about an act of kindness to a cripple and asking us how he was healed, then I am glad to tell you all, and would indeed to be glad to tell the whole people of Israel that it was by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the one you crucified, whom God raised from the dead by this name and by no other, that this man is able to stand up perfectly healthy here in your presence today. This is the stone rejected by you, the builders, but which has proved to be the keystone. For of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved. The word of the Lord. A reading from the first letter of John. Think of the love that the father has lavished on us by letting us be called God's children.

Julie South [00:11:46]:
And that is what we are because the world refused to acknowledge him. Therefore it does not acknowledge us. My dear people, we are already the children of God. But what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed. All we know is that when it is revealed, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he really is.

Julie South [00:12:14]:
The word of the Lord.

Julie South [00:12:40]:
A reading from the gospel of John, Jesus said, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep. The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep and runs away as soon as he sees a wolf coming. And then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep. This is because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, just as the father knows me and I know the father. I lay down my life for my sheep.

Julie South [00:13:28]:
And there are other sheep I have that are not of this fold. And these I have to lead as well. They too listen to my voice. And there will be only one flock and one shepherd. The father loves me because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own free will. And as it is in my power to lay it down, so it is in my power to take it up again.

Julie South [00:14:02]:
And this is the command I have been given by my father. The gospel of the Lord. What was God saying to you? Remember that we each hear God differently depending on what's going on in our lives at the time. What God is saying to me might not be what God is saying to you.

Julie South [00:14:48]:
So what about you?

Julie South [00:14:49]:
What did you hear from God in those Bible passages that we've just prayed together? Let's kick off by having a look at some of the metaphors and then how they might relate to us here in today's 21st century. In acts, Jesus is the cornerstone, the key foundation stone, and this shows Jesus must be central to our faith. Like the stone a building is built on central. Today, we need to make Jesus the bedrock of how we live and decide things. In John, believers are God's children. This metaphor speaks to the loving bond that we have, that we can have. If we accept that God, Jesus is our father. It means we're in God's family and he cherishes us.

Julie South [00:15:51]:
For us. 21st century Catholics remember this was written over 2000 years ago. This reminds us that we belong to God as well. He wants us to live in a way that glorifies him. That shows others our father's goodness so that we do as Jesus would do to glorify God. John also calls Jesus the good shepherd. Jesus cares for us, sheep, for you and for me. And he laid down his life to save us.

Julie South [00:16:25]:
We're one of Jesus's flock. He's our shepherd. He knows each of us by name. I find that hard to get my head around sometimes. I have to keep reminding myself this shows Jesus's kindness and his sacrifice for us today. This reminds us Catholics that Jesus guides us, provides for us, and he protects us. But it's a two way thing. He's there guiding, providing and protecting us.

Julie South [00:16:56]:
But it's also up to us to follow Jesus example and for us to follow him. Just like the way sheep follow a shepherd. That's all well and good, right? But how can we apply all one or some of these metaphors into our lives here? Into your life, into my life here in 2022, this 21st century digital world, so that we can glorify God? What can we do? Okay, here are three things that I picked up as possibilities from these metaphors. The first one, to make Jesus central in any routine choices that I make and to build my life more on him than I do now. Because you can always do more when it comes to God, right? To ensure that he's central to my decision making and hopefully my daily habits. I say hopefully because habits we do unconsciously, we don't even think about the habit. That's why they're a habit. So how can I make him central to not only my decisions, but the habits that I have as well? And then to spend more time with God as my father, so that I can grow and develop that relationship further, a little bit more every day, so that he's proud to have me as his daughter.

Julie South [00:18:19]:
And then thirdly, to follow Jesus more closely, especially to rely on his care in hard times. To know that even in the tough times, that it can be easier if I let go of trying to do everything under my own steam, to let go and to let God look after me, for me to follow him, because he is my shepherd and that's what he wants. Those are my takes. What about you? What was God saying to you? I hope you found this interesting and helpful and that it helps you. You grow and develop your faith, that this podcast helps you prepare and maybe even understand just the teeny, tiny, incy wincy dinky bit better, the wonderful word of God and the catholic faith. Thank you for spending the last half an hour or so of your life with God and me. I pray that each of these Bible passages has been able to make the difference that God wishes for you today in his own way, in their own way, in your life. Thank you for getting this far.

Julie South [00:19:43]:
Can I ask you to do me and God a huge favour, please? If you enjoyed today's show, can you help me spread God's word about your catholic corner? All you have to do is just tell three of your friends and family about this podcast so that they can hopefully benefit as well. It's really easy. Just invite them to go visit your catholiccorner.com where they can subscribe and follow the show. From there. It's easy, it's free, it doesn't cost anything. Thank you so much. And wherever you are, I pray that God's glass of love overflows in your heart, your life, and that when you're ready, you're able to accept God's invitation to you to join him to share in holy Communion at your local parish. And finally, I'd like to say thank you to the parishioners of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hamilton, New Zealand, who helped me bring this podcast to you today.

Julie South [00:20:49]:
This is Julie south signing off until next week. Peace be with you. God bless.