That Familiar Voice

Fourth Sunday of Easter
13 April 2008

First reading: Acts 2:14 - 41
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed them in a loud voice:
‘Men of Judaea, and all you who live in Jerusalem, make no mistake about this, but listen carefully to what I say. ‘For this reason the whole House of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.’
Hearing this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the apostles, ‘What must we do, brothers?’ ‘You must repent,’ Peter answered ‘and every one of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise that was made is for you and your children, and for all those who are far away, for all those whom the Lord our God will call to himself.’ He spoke to them for a long time using many arguments, and he urged them, ‘Save yourselves from this perverse generation’. They were convinced by his arguments, and they accepted what he said and were baptised. That very day about three thousand were added to their number.

Psalm or canticle Psalm 22 (23)
The good shepherd
The Lord is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.
He has taken me to green pastures,
he has led me to still waters;
he has healed my spirit.
He has led me along right paths
for his own name’s sake.

Even if I walk in the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil, for you are with me:
your rod and your staff give me comfort.

You have set a table before me
in the sight of my enemies.
You have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup overflows.

Truly goodness and kindness will follow me
all the days of my life.
For long years I shall live
in the house of the Lord.

Second reading: 1 Peter 2:20 - 25
There is nothing meritorious in taking a beating patiently if you have done something wrong to deserve it. The merit, in the sight of God, is in bearing it patiently when you are punished after doing your duty.

This, in fact, is what you were called to do, because Christ suffered for you and left an example for you to follow the way he took. He had not done anything wrong, and there had been no perjury in his mouth. He was insulted and did not retaliate with insults; when he was tortured he made no threats but he put his trust in the righteous judge. He was bearing our faults in his own body on the cross, so that we might die to our faults and live for holiness; through his wounds you have been healed. You had gone astray like sheep but now you have come back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

Gospel: John 10:1 - 10
Jesus said: ‘I tell you most solemnly, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; the gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out. When he has brought out his flock, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers.’
Jesus told them this parable but they failed to understand what he meant by telling it to them.
So Jesus spoke to them again:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
I am the gate of the sheepfold.
All others who have come
are thieves and brigands;
but the sheep took no notice of them.
I am the gate.
Anyone who enters through me will be safe:
he will go freely in and out
and be sure of finding pasture.
The thief comes
only to steal and kill and destroy.
I have come
so that they may have life and have it to the full.’

Reflection
By Elizabeth R Eguia

When I was still a child, the only people I followed were my mom and dad. They were there to provide guidance and I felt protected when I am with them. School time came, and I met new people. At first, I got scared because I don’t know them, until later on I got used to their company but still at times I don’t mingle.

My mom and dad taught me and my other siblings how to live a good and practical way of life. And even up to this day, that I am old enough, I would still remember those things; I have carried forward and lived my life with no compromise to others. They became my values in life and if others are telling me something that is contradicting to that, I immediately don’t entertain. But there were occasions, we feel tempted, like what if I do this though I am fully aware it’s against what was taught to me? And we try to discover and do it. But at the end, when we realize this is not the right way to do, we go back to what we believe in.

Jesus is our shepherd. He is there to guide us. He provided us the rules and we acknowledged that. Most of the times, the devil will be there to confuse our minds. And yes we certainly give in at times. But at the end of it, the Shepherd would still find His way to lead us back. These are the times when we are so down, and we again remember that familiar voice, the Lord who has been there all throughout our lives.

With much praise and glory to you our dear Lord, we thank you for being there as our Shepherd. Guide us, to live our lives according to Your holy will. If we compromised our beliefs, win us back dear Lord. Remind us on what is truly important. Amen.