"My sheep hear my voice and I know them;

they follow me and I give them eternal life." 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

Acts 13:14, 43-52

While they on from Perga and

Came to Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they entered the synagogue and sat down. After that, when the assembly broke up, many Jews and devout God-fearing people followed them and to these they spoke, urging them to hold fast to the grace of God.

 The following Sabbath almost the entire city gathered to listen to Paul, who spoke a fairly long time about the Lord. But the presence of such a crowd made the Jews jealous. So they began to oppose with insults whatever Paul said.

 hen Paul and Barnabas spoke out firmly, saying, “It was necessary that God’s word be first proclaimed to you, but since you now reject it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we turn to non-Jewish people.

 For thus we were commanded by the Lord: I have set you as a light to the pagan nations, so that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

  Those who were not Jews rejoiced when they heard this and praised the message of the Lord, and all those destined for everlasting life believed init.  Thus the Word spread throughout the whole region.

 Some of the Jews, however, incited God-fearing wom¬en of the upper class and the leading men of the city, as well, and stirred up an intense persecution against Paul and Barnabas. Finally they had them expelled from their region.  The apostles shook the dust from their feet in protest against this people and went to Iconium,  leaving the disciples filled with joy and Holy Spirit.

 

Ps 100:1-2, 3, 5

We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

 

    ＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Revelation 7:9, 14b-17

 I answered, “Sir, it is you who know this.” The elder replied, “They are those who have come out of the great persecution; they have washed and made their clothes white in the blood of the Lamb.

 This is whyHe who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.

 Never again will they suffer hunger or thirst or be burned by the sun or any scorching wind. For the Lamb near the throne will be their Shepherd, and he will bring them to springs of life-giving water,

and God will wipe away their tears.”

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊ 

John 10:27-30

 My sheep hear my voice and I know them; they follow me and I give them eternal life. They shall never perish and no one will ever steal them from me.  hat the Father has given me is above everything else and no one can snatch it from the Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”

    

Gospel Reflection：

Global Shepherds

Read:

The Godpel is preached to the Jews, the Gentiles, and to the ends of the earth. John presents the grand finale: people from “every nation, race, people, and tongue”are gathered in heaven before the Lamb-Shepherd. Jesus declares himself as the Good Shepherd who gives eternal life to his sheep.

Reflect:

In the midst of acute shortage of vocations in a country, one provincial assumes charge and thus addresses his members in his inaugural homily: “Believe me. There is no shortage of vocations. There’s plenty. It is all a problem of distribution, not of numbers.” How true! God does raise up people to tend his sheep; but not always as, when, and where we want him to! If we care to look around, there are many youngsters willing to serve. Sadly, how many congregations have died out in some countries due to the sheer refusal to accept vocations from other regions of the world!we need to do is to adjust our mental lenses, break down the boundaries of tribalistic thinking, and perceive the Church as one of family without borders.

Pray:

Pray for global readiness and global receptivity to shepherds after the heart of the Master.

Act:

Talk to a youngster about discerning a shepherding vocation in the Church.