Reflections from the April 17 Gospel
John 10:27-30
How blessed we are to be the sheep of such a Good Shepherd! Jesus promises that “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” When we follow the voice of our Shepherd, he leads us exactly where we want to go. But in today’s culture, many voices are competing for our attention. The voice of the media is a loud one, entering our homes and families through television, the Internet, print materials, and so on. All of this has its appropriate place. We simply need to be sure that we don’t allow these voices to become the primary ones in our lives.
To hear the voice of Jesus, we need to encounter his word in the Bible; we need to fill our ears with the message of the Gospel, to listen attentively to the prayers and preaching at Mass, and to “tune in” to the teaching of the Church and of the Holy Father. All of these things will help us to stay close to our Shepherd. Jesus promises of those who hear his voice and follow him that, “No one can take them out of my hand.” When we stay near the Lord, we can rest assured that he will fulfill his promises.
Questions of the Week
John 10:27-30:
When do you most clearly hear
Jesus’ voice?
Acts 13:14, 43-52:
What patterns (positive or negative) do you see in your faith life?
Revelation 7:9, 14b-17:
Where do you see Christians today suffering for the faith?