Paul and Barnabas continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered the synagogue and took their seats. Many Jews and worshipers who were converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to remain faithful to the grace of God.

On the following sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said. Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.For so the Lord has commanded us, I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.”

The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came to believe, and the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region.

The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them, and went to Iconium. The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

Recognizing the shepherd’s voice

It is not easy to recognize the true voice of the Good Shepherd. This is the central point in the task of discernment. There are competing voices that demand our attention as they claim to speak for God.

Oftentimes, these voices prescribe growing in God’s grace through clear and precise doctrine, a high level of knowledge and morality and similar principles. Be that as it may, we sense in the readings today that for Jesus, the fundamental thing is the person’s relationship with him.

Everything depends on belonging to him, on one’s relationship of trust and faith in him: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (v 27). The knowledge mentioned here is biblical knowledge, which means intimacy, heart-to-heart relationship. We may recall for instance, the story of the risen Jesus and Mary Magdalene at the garden of the resurrection (Jn 20:11-18).

Mary is having a hard time recognizing the risen Lord, perhaps due to her copious tears. But once Jesus calls her name, Mary is “awakened” to instant recognition of her Master and Lord, followed by immediate announcement to the group of disciples: “I have seen the Lord” (Jn 20:18).

Moreover, the eternal life that the Good Shepherd promises has nothing to do with the achievements and rewards that we might accumulate in this life. It is eternal because it is bonded to the source and giver of life: to God who is eternal, to Jesus who is the resurrection and the life, to the Spirit who is the life-giver and enhancer.

Let us pray for the gift of discernment then. Let us invoke Jesus our Good Shepherd for the gift of intimacy with him, of a deep belongingness to him, so that we may recognize his voice, follow him, and share with everyone the eternal life he promised.