My Sheep Hear My Voice and I Know Them

Where We Are

Alleluia! Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter takes us further into John 10, to the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) in Jerusalem. The Jewish leaders surround Jesus in Solomon's Portico and demand a direct answer: "If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus's response reveals the heart of the Good Shepherd's relationship with his flock: "My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish." In Acts, the scattered believers reach Antioch, where for the first time the disciples are called "Christians." The name itself is a proclamation: these people belong to Christ.

The Word

In Acts, those scattered by the persecution travel as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word. Some begin speaking to Greeks as well as Jews. The hand of the Lord is with them. The church in Jerusalem sends Barnabas to Antioch. He goes to Tarsus to find Saul and brings him back. For a whole year, they teach a great number of people. It is in Antioch that the disciples are first called "Christians." In John's Gospel, the leaders press Jesus: "If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answers, "My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. I and the Father are one."

Today's Full Readings

First Reading — Acts 11:19-26

Responsorial Psalm — Psalm 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7

Gospel — John 10:22-30

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Reflect

"No one will snatch them out of my hand." This is one of the most powerful assurances of eternal security in the New Testament. The Good Shepherd does not merely guide his sheep; he holds them. And his grip is reinforced by the Father's hand. To reach the sheep, an enemy would have to overcome both the Son and the Father. It cannot be done.

Jesus's claim, "I and the Father are one," is the theological summit of the Good Shepherd discourse. The unity between Father and Son is not merely a unity of purpose; it is a unity of being. This is why the sheep are safe: they are held by God himself.

The Jewish leaders ask for plainness, but their problem is not lack of information. "I told you, and you do not believe." Jesus has been telling them through his works: healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, raising the dead. The signs are there for anyone willing to see. But seeing requires the willingness to follow, and following requires surrender of control.

The Antioch passage in Acts provides a beautiful illustration of what it looks like when people hear the Shepherd's voice and follow. The Gospel crosses cultural boundaries (Jews and Greeks), geographical boundaries (Jerusalem to Antioch), and social boundaries (the wealthy Barnabas and the former persecutor Saul, working side by side). The name "Christian" emerges organically from the community's identity: these people are so identified with Christ that outsiders name them after him.

To be called a Christian is to be recognized as a sheep of the Good Shepherd, someone whose life so clearly echoes the voice they follow that others can identify the source.

Living It

Take comfort today in Jesus's promise: no one can snatch you out of his hand. If you are struggling with anxiety, fear of the future, or a sense that your faith is fragile, hear these words: the Good Shepherd holds you, and his grip is stronger than any force that opposes you. Then consider: would others call you a "Christian" based on observing your life? The name was given to the Antioch community because their identity was unmistakable. What would it take for your daily life to be that clearly marked by Christ?

Prayer

Good Shepherd, you hold us in your hand, and no one can snatch us away. We rest in this promise today. When fear tells us we are not safe, remind us that we are held by both the Son and the Father. Make our lives so marked by your presence that others recognize whose we are. May we be called Christians not just by our words but by our love, our courage, and our faithfulness. We hear your voice, and we follow. Alleluia. Amen.