SUNDAY, FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Acts 13: 14, 43-52 Ps 100 Rv 7: 9, 14-17 Jn 10: 27-30
FOLLOWING THE TRUE SHEPHERD!
There is something unsettling about being lost; not knowing where you are, where to go, or whom to follow. It stirs up an unease that grips the heart. Yet, there is also something profoundly reassuring about hearing a familiar voice in that ‘lostness’. A voice that calls your name, that knows you, that leads you home. The Fourth Sunday of Easter, often called Good Shepherd Sunday, is not just about Christ as a leader but about the very voice that calls us out of confusion into clarity, out of fear into trust.
Imagine a crowded marketplace filled with a hundred different sounds – voices bargaining, footsteps rushing, music playing, notifications buzzing. This is the world we live in, a place where countless voices demand our attention. Amid all this, there is one voice, gentle, steady, calling out to us, by name. Jesus says that His sheep recognize His voice, not because it is the loudest, but because it is the truest. It is the voice that speaks to our deepest longing – the longing to be loved, to belong. The challenge is not that Christ is silent, but that we often lack the stillness to listen.
Following Christ is not always easy. The first reading shows Paul and Barnabas facing both welcome and rejection. Their mission was met with resistance, yet they did not retreat. They knew that the Shepherd’s path is not always smooth, but it is always true. We, too, face moments where faith seems inconvenient or even costly. Perhaps it involves standing up for what is right when it would be easier to stay silent. Maybe it is choosing integrity over personal gain, or remaining faithful when doubt creeps in. Being a disciple means trusting that even when the road is difficult, the Shepherd does not lead us astray. The second reading paints a vision of those who have endured life’s hardships and now stand before the throne of God. They have walked through trials but have not been left alone. They are led to springs of living water, their tears wiped away. This is the promise: the Shepherd does not just guide us through life, He leads us beyond it, into eternity. The struggles we endure are not meaningless. The sacrifices we make are not forgotten.
Yet, while eternity is our destination, our journey begins now. The Good Shepherd does not wait for us to be perfect before calling us. He meets us in our brokenness, in our doubts, in our failures. His leadership is not about dominance, but about love. It is an invitation, not a demand. The question is not whether Christ speaks, but whether we are willing to follow. Perhaps the greatest challenge is not just hearing the Shepherd’s voice but believing it enough to follow. We often want clarity, guarantees, signs. But often, God’s voice is found in quiet trust, in the gentle nudges of grace, in the simple yet profound words: “Follow me.”
But what does following really look like? It is not about having every answer or never feeling doubt. It is about moving forward despite uncertainty, about taking the next step even when the path is hidden. It is about trusting that the Shepherd knows the way, even when we do not. Following also means resisting the distractions that pull us away. The world will always have a louder voice, one that promises quick fulfilment, temporary happiness, instant gratification. But the Shepherd’s voice is different. It does not shout; it whispers. It does not coerce; it invites. It does not deceive; it leads to life.
Therefore, what does it mean to truly belong to Christ’s flock? It means surrendering the illusion of self-sufficiency. It means admitting that we need guidance, that we cannot navigate life’s challenges alone. True freedom is found in being led by the one who knows the way. To belong to the Shepherd’s flock is also to embrace community. Sheep do not travel alone; they move in a herd. We are called to support one another, to walk together, to remind each other of the Shepherd’s voice when the world’s noise drowns it out. So today, we ask ourselves: Am I listening? Or am I too caught up in the noise of the world? The Shepherd’s voice is never far. It is calling even now. The choice to follow is ours.
Response: We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
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