Sunday April 21st: Empowered to serve
April 21, 2024
What is the Feast of the Good Shepherd?
April 22, 2024
“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice’.
John 10:1-10
There are many competing voices in our lives. We spend many hours listening to the media. These voices influence our lives. The era of fake news has put a new spin on it all.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus talks about “sheep” and refers to himself a true Shepherd. For Jesus, his sheep know his voice and freely follow Him. Modern voices give the impression that to be a “sheep” is to be foolish and not worthy of the dignity that belongs to all humans. They offer us choices that are not life-giving. Jesus, on the other hand, offers us abundant life!
If we are truly sheep of this Shepherd, we shall have abundant life in him. These are his peace, his protection, his unfailing love, mercy, and salvation.
To hear the voice of the Shepherd, we need to spend more time in prayer and quiet reflection. It is in those periods that Jesus himself frees us from the distractions of other voices and speaks directly to our hearts.
