May 8, 2022, 4th Sunday of Easter-C

Acts of the Apostles 13:14, 43-52

Psalm 100

Revelation 7:9, 14-17

John 10:27-30

“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress…”  Revelation 7:14

“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

Lord, many of us enjoy movies or books of epic survival stories. There’s something about the courage and strength of the lone survivor battling the furies of nature that impresses us. Their inner desire and persistence gets them through their ordeal. In John’s vision of heaven, he sees those who survived the distress of persecution by the Romans and the Jews in the early church. You are the lamb they joyfully worship as well as the shepherd who leads them to the life – giving water of paradise. Your grace strengthened them to remain faithful to the end. This vision of heaven gave hope to those in John’s time. It gives me hope today. There are many temptations, creeping doubts and the assaults of the enemy that I must battle against. My life is too a story of survival. Lord, I’ve found the key is to stay real close to you. The way to survive to the end is to take one day at a time, and seek your grace in the sacraments. I do not walk alone in this valley of death. My good shepherd, stay with me always.  Amen.