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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider My sheep hear my voice… and they follow Me

My sheep hear my voice… and they follow Me

Published Apr 28, 2026 12:05 am  |  Updated Apr 27, 2026 06:18 pm
REFLECTIONS TODAY
Gospel • John 10:22-30
Bible scholar B. W. Thomson writes in his book, The Land and the Book, how sheep responds to the shepherds: “The shepherd calls from time to time, to remind them of his presence. They know his voice, and follow on; but, if a stranger calls, they stop short, lift up their heads in alarm, and if it is repeated, they turn and flee, because they do not know the voice of the stranger. I have made the experiment repeatedly.”
This habit of the sheep is picked up by Jesus, as we hear in today’s Gospel reading, and applied to the relationship between him and his followers: “My sheep hear my voice… and they follow me” (v 27). In this connection the Christian Community Bible has this comment: “The shepherds of the Jewish people thought they could achieve unity by promoting national pride, by maintaining the privileges of the ‘higher’ castes, and by discrimination against non-Jews. But Jesus unites his people solely by attracting them to himself, by letting people experience who he is. All who are attracted to him, all who recognize his voice and believe his word, are his.”
First Reading • Acts 11:19-26
Those who had been scattered by the persecution that arose because of Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but Jews. There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however, who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the Lord Jesus.
The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart, for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. And a large number of people was added to the Lord. Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the Church and taught a large number of people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2026,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

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