Mass Readings:
Acts 13:14. 43-52 Ps 100 Rev 7:9. 14b-17 Jn 10:27-30
Key
Verse to Meditate: My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and
they follow me (Jn 10:27).
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
Last Sunday's Gospel reminded us of Jesus' command to Peter to care for his flock, a theme that reappears this Sunday through the image of the Good Shepherd. In the first reading, Paul and Barnabas preach Christ as the fulfilment of Israel’s history, leading to a joyful acceptance by the Gentiles and a jealous rejection by certain Jews. The Gospel and Revelation readings affirm that Jesus’ true followers are free and conscious individuals who listen to his voice and are promised eternal life, guided by the Risen Lamb himself.
In
the Gospel reading, Jesus speaks with conviction: "My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life." His sheep are
not a faceless mass, blindly following instinct, but conscious, free
individuals who choose to listen, trust, and follow him. Jesus promises that no
one will snatch them from his hand, and through their faithful following, they
will attain eternal life.
The
First Reading
In
the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear the missionary
discourse of Paul and Barnabas as they proclaim the message of Jesus in
Antioch. Paul's preaching emphasizes the "newness" of Christ, who fulfils
the history of Israel. In the reading from the Acts, we witness how many Jews
are converted to the faith through the preaching of Paul and Barnabas. Two
contrasting groups emerge, just as we see in the Gospel: on one side, orthodox
Jews who are hostile to the apostles’ proclamation of the Word of God; on the
other, Gentiles who welcome the message with open hearts and become believers.
The Jews who opposed the apostles recognized the grace of God at work in the
believers who gathered to hear the Word, and, filled with jealousy, they
resisted the mission. However, they could not thwart the power of God's grace
and the action of the Holy Spirit.
In
response to this rejection, Paul and Barnabas boldly declare that although the
Word of God was first offered to the Jews, their refusal renders them unworthy
of the eternal life that Christ promises to those who listen to and obey his
voice, as we hear in today’s Gospel. Consequently, the apostles turn their
preaching toward the Gentiles, who respond with joy and enthusiasm to the
salvation brought by Christ.
At
this point, Paul reminds the rejecting Jews of his divine mission to the
Gentiles: "I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, so that you may
bring salvation to the ends of the earth" (Acts 13:47). Upon hearing
Paul’s testimony, the Gentiles rejoice and glorify the Word of the Lord (Acts
13:48). Paul encourages them to persevere in the grace of God by listening to
his Word and living God-fearing lives. The eternal life promised by Christ to
those who hear and obey is clearly affirmed here in Acts, as many Gentiles
become believers through the preaching of Paul and Barnabas.
The
Second Reading
The
second reading, from the Book of Revelation, also portrays the promise of
eternal life. It presents a vision of the redeemed gathered before the divine
throne and before Jesus, the innocent Lamb who was slain but now lives.
The
vision opens with a majestic vision: a great multitude from every nation,
tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,
clothed in white robes and holding palm branches in their hands (Rev 7:9). This
scene of universal worship culminates in the identification of the Lamb seated
on the throne as the Shepherd of the redeemed. This Shepherd alone is capable
of granting eternal life and will lead his people to springs of living water,
wiping away every tear from their eyes (Rev 7:17). Thus, in both the second
reading and the Gospel, the imagery of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is powerfully
presented. In the Gospel, Jesus promises: "I give them eternal life, and
they shall never perish" (Jn 10:28).
For
the great multitude who serve the Lamb, the One seated on the throne becomes
their ultimate security and salvation. They will suffer no more hunger, thirst,
or harm, for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
guiding them to the springs of the waters of life. This is the ultimate goal to
which the Good Shepherd leads those who hear and follow his voice: "He who
sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They will hunger no
more, neither thirst anymore; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching
heat" (Rev 7:15-16).
In
the Gospel, Jesus similarly assures his followers that those who listen to his
voice will be granted eternal life, thus reinforcing the hope and promise
celebrated in the Book of Revelation.
The
Gospel Reading
On
several occasions, Jesus declared Himself the Good Shepherd. While this title
may not immediately strike us as extraordinary, it would have been astonishing
to His original listeners, who, based on the teachings of the prophets and the
psalms, considered God alone to be the Shepherd of His people. By proclaiming
Himself as the Good Shepherd, Jesus was implicitly declaring His divinity. This
truth is made even more explicit in today’s Gospel passage (Jn 10:27-30), where
He says, “I and the Father are one.”
In
today's Gospel setting, we find Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem during the
Feast of Dedication - also known as the Festival of Lights or Hanukkah. In the
midst of His teaching about the Good Shepherd, the Jews press Him for a clear
answer: "If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly."
Perhaps
they asked this hoping to trap Him, or perhaps genuinely, but either way,
Jesus' response would ignite more hostility than faith. Rather than satisfy
their demands for a political Messiah, Jesus speaks of a deeper reality - His
unity with the Father. As a result, the Jews once again reject Him.
Earlier,
when Jesus spoke about His authority to lay down His life and take it up again
(John 10:18), many said, "He is possessed by a demon." Today's
agitation among the Jews must be understood in light of previous events,
particularly the healing of the man born blind (John 9), which had already
caused considerable division.
Thus,
when Jesus responds to their inquiry, He says: "I have told you, and you
do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; but you
do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep" (John 10:25–26).
Here,
Jesus is not merely making a claim - He is challenging their hearts. They are
unable to believe because they are not His sheep. They cannot hear His voice
because their hearts are closed in disbelief.
For
the Jews, it was intolerable - even blasphemous - to hear Jesus claim the
authority that belonged to God: the authority to grant eternal life and to rise
from the dead. Ironically, the very miracles meant to lead them to faith only
hardened their resistance.
Failure to Belong to His Sheep
Once
again, the Gospel exposes the unwillingness of the Jews to be part of Christ’s
flock. They possess knowledge of the Scriptures, yet their hearts lack love and
faith. Knowledge without love is empty. Their incomplete knowledge of Christ
prevented them from recognizing His divine identity.
True
discipleship requires more than intellectual understanding - it demands a
personal relationship. Those who belong to the flock of Christ hear His voice,
understand His works (Jn 10:25), listen to His words (Jn 10:27), and follow
Him.
Jesus
makes it clear that His words and deeds are intimately linked to the Father,
saying, "I and the Father are one" (Jn 10:30). Our spiritual life,
therefore, is not about accumulating theories about Jesus but cultivating a
living, personal relationship with Him.
The
Security of the Sheep
For
those willing to listen and obey, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, offers security and
eternal life. Twice He emphasizes that His sheep will never be snatched away -
neither from His hand nor from the Father's (John 10:28-29).
Jesus'
saving mission guarantees eternal life to His sheep - those who hear His voice
and follow Him (Jn 10:28). The coming of Christ was not to condemn but to save
and to grant life in abundance (Jn 10:10; cf. Jn 3:16-17).
However,
today's Gospel reminds us that salvation, though freely offered, requires a
human response of faith and trust. God’s gift must be accepted in humility and
belief.
The
Spirituality of the Father
In
this passage, Jesus makes explicit what is often referred to as the
"spirituality of the Father." John, in particular, emphasizes the
profound intimacy Jesus shares with the Father : I and the Father are one (Jn 10:30). Jesus was deeply aware of both
His divine origin and the purpose of His incarnation. He was conscious of the
constant, accompanying presence of the Father. It is this reality-the closeness
of God the Father-that Jesus sought to instil in the hearts of His listeners.
Jesus
came from the Father to fulfil His will (cf. Jn 4:34). In this passage, Jesus
boldly claims equality with God the Father, a statement considered blasphemous
by the Jews (cf. Jn 10:33). Yet for Jesus, it was not blasphemy but a
revelation of the profound truth: He is the "Son of God" (cf. Jn
10:36-37). His claim to possess equal power with the Father was not a
distortion but the plain reality of His identity.
In
these verses, Jesus repeatedly refers to Himself as the "Son of God,"
affirming that God is truly His Father. He even cites Psalm 82:6 to demonstrate
that the anointed Messiah has the rightful authority to bear the title
"Son of God."
The Father and I are One (Jn 10:30)
The Jews could not accept Jesus' claim to grant eternal life - a prerogative they believed belonged to God alone.
Jesus
boldly asserts that no one can snatch His sheep from His hand, just as no one
can snatch them from the Father’s hand (Jn 10:28-29). His climactic statement,
"The Father and I are one," becomes the final stumbling block.
Though
they had witnessed His miracles and signs, they remained blind, seeing Jesus
merely as an ordinary Rabbi, not the Son of God.
The
real disciples, however, recognize the true Shepherd and do not follow the
false shepherds, the religious leaders who fail to guide the people towards
God.
The
Missing Element: Faith
Jesus'
miracles and teachings were never meant to impose belief but to invite a free
response of faith. Sadly, among the Jews, that faith was missing.
True
recognition of Christ requires faith born of a personal relationship. “My sheep
hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
In
Jesus, God truly became man - not to overwhelm with power, but to draw hearts
in love.
Jesus'
declaration, "I and the Father are one," was seen by the Jews as
blasphemy, but for the disciples, it summed up the core of the Christian faith.
It is the cornerstone of our relationship with Christ: the Father’s life is
fully shared with the Son, and through the Son, with us.
Points
for Personal Reflection
Do
I truly believe in Jesus?
How
do I acknowledge Jesus as God in the everyday realities of my life?
Am
I living as a true disciple, one who listens for the voice of the Good Shepherd
and follows it?
Jesus’
relationship with the Father was so profound that He could say, "I and the
Father are one."
What
about my relationship with God?
Do
I know the Father who created me, who loves me, and who walks with me each day?
