Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

Jesus said: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers." Although Jesus used this figure of speech, they did not realize what he was trying to tell them. So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." -John 10:1-10

It is a noisy and busy world, and the enemy likes it that way. In all the racket and bustle, it is hard for us to hear the Shepherd’s voice and even more challenging to come to know it.

Sometimes, I let the enemy climb over elsewhere through the media I listen to and watch, the literature I read, and the senseless busyness I allow to consume my time. I realize now that I spent most of my life listening to and focusing on the wrong things, never learning the sound of the Shepherd’s voice spoken to me through all the noise.

Christ says He comes to give us abundant life, and all who come before Him are thieves and robbers who come only to steal and slaughter. Who or what are you placing before the Lord? Tune it out and listen for His voice so that once you know it, you may follow Him.

He is risen! He is risen indeed. Hallelujah!

Pope Saint Soter, pray for us.

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Jesus, I trust in you!