TUESDAY, FOURTH WEEK OF EASTERTIDE
Acts 11: 19-26 Ps 87: 1-7 Jn 10: 22-30
LISTENING TO THE VOICE THAT GIVES LIFE
After Easter, the Church invites us to reflect on what it truly means to belong to the risen Lord. Today’s readings speaks softly yet firmly about listening, belonging, and remaining faithful. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of Himself as the shepherd whose voice His sheep recognize. This is not just a comforting image; it is a deeply personal one. Jesus tells us that He knows His followers. He does not know us as numbers or faces in a crowd, but as individuals with names, stories, wounds. To be known like this is a great gift. Many people today struggle with loneliness, feeling unnoticed. Jesus reassures us that we are never invisible to Him. When we listen to His voice and choose to follow Him, we are held securely in His hands, where nothing can destroy the life He gives. The first reading shows how this voice of the shepherd guided the early believers. Scattered and unsure, they spoke about Jesus wherever they went. Their faith was not perfect, but it was sincere. Slowly, a community emerged which learned how to live as followers of Christ in daily life. It was there that believers were first recognized by their way of living. Their actions reflected the voice they listened to.
This is our challenge: People may not always read the Bible, but they read our lives. Do our words bring hope? Do our actions show kindness, patience, and courage? Are we willing to stand for what is right, even when it is uncomfortable? Listening to the voice of Jesus means allowing His way of love to shape how we speak, forgive, and serve. Today’s reflection invites us to pause and quieten our hearts. The world is full of loud voices that confuse and divide. Yet the voice of Jesus remains steady and trustworthy. He does not force; He invites. He does not threaten; He promises life. Let us ask for the grace to recognize His voice more clearly. In prayer, in silence, in the needs of others, He continues to call us. May we respond with trust, knowing that when we follow Him, we are walking toward life!
Response: O praise the Lord, all you nations.
Copyright ©2026 ©Springs of Living Water http://springs.carmelmedia.in