First Reading: (Acts 11:19–26)
Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 87:1–7)
Response: “O praise the Lord, all you nations.”
The Lord loves His people, and all nations will come to know Him as their true home.
Alleluia: (John 10:27)
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.
Gospel: (John 10:22–30)
Reflection:
Jesus says: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). This is not just about hearing, it is about listening.
There is a difference.
To hear is easy. It involves only the ears. We hear sounds, words, noise, and often forget them quickly.
But to listen is deeper. It engages the whole person, the mind, the heart, and the soul. When we truly listen, we understand, we remember, and we act.
Jesus is not asking us merely to hear His voice. He is calling us to listen.
An African proverb says: “The fly that refuses to listen follows the corpse to the grave.” It is a warning against stubbornness, against the refusal to accept guidance. In everyday language, we might call it “hard-headedness.”
This is the danger Christ is pointing out.
If we refuse to listen to the Shepherd, we risk becoming lost.
The world today is filled with many voices, some true, many misleading. There are voices from social media, popular opinion, culture, and personal pride. These voices compete with the voice of the Good Shepherd.
To recognize His voice, we must be:
Quiet, free from constant noise and distraction
Attentive, actively seeking truth
Docile, humble and willing to be guided
Without these, we can easily follow the wrong voice.
We recall the story of Samuel (1 Samuel 3). God called him, and because he listened, he recognized the voice of the Lord. If he had ignored it, he would have missed his calling.
Jesus also chooses His words carefully, He calls us sheep, not goats.
Why?
Because sheep are known for humility, gentleness, and docility. They follow the shepherd’s lead. Goats, on the other hand, are stubborn, scattered, and difficult to guide.
This image challenges us.
Are we humble enough to be led?
Or are we stubborn, thinking we know better than the Shepherd?
In life, many fall into regret because they refused to listen, to parents, to teachers, to wise counsel, to the Church. Good advice was given, but pride stood in the way.
Even today, some trust social media more than truth. They say, “I saw it online,” as if that is authority. Yet we have the teachings of the Church, Sacred Scripture, and spiritual guidance, sources grounded in truth.
So the question becomes:
Whose voice are we listening to?
If we listen only to ourselves, we risk confusion.
If we listen to the wrong voices, we risk being misled.
But if we listen to Christ, we receive life, security, and direction.
Jesus assures us: “No one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).
This is the promise given to those who listen and follow.
But that promise requires a response.
We must choose to listen.
We must choose humility over pride, obedience over stubbornness, truth over noise.
If we are lost, it is often because we refused to listen.
If we are found, it is because we followed the voice of the Shepherd.
So today, let us pray:
For attentive hearts
For humble spirits
For the grace to recognize Christ’s voice
“Speak, Lord, your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10).
If we listen and follow, we will not be lost.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment