4th Sunday of Easter
Acts 13:14, 43-52; Psalm 99; Rv. 7: 9, 14b-17; Jn. 10: 27-30
Read: Jesus said: “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me. The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone, and no one can steal from the Father. The Father and I are one.”
Reflect: “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me”. How are we going to recognise the voice of the true shepherd amongst the many voices that we hear daily? We need to train our ears to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd. Whoever listens to just one person and for a few minutes, and then for a whole year does not listen to him at all, finds it difficult to distinguish between the voice of that person in a crowd of people. Whoever listens to the Gospel only once a year will not learn how to recognise the Lord’s voice that is talking to him.
But let us state the obvious, it is not easy to place our trust in Jesus because he does not promise successes or victories. But he asks you to be a gift, he asks you not to see advantages for your own sake, he asks you to give your life to him and to your brethren. Nonetheless – he assures you – that this is the only way that leads to eternal life: “And I will give you eternal life.” So as to reach this eternal life, there are no shortcuts; whoever points you in other directions will be deceiving you and will lead you to death.
Pray: Who like you Lord, is concerned about me? Who is anxious to get to know me as much as you do? Recognise me Lord …and continue to have mercy on me.
Act: “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.” When we hear His voice, let us take David’s advice which is: “I place my life in the hands of the Lord so that His will be done.”