Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 280

Reading 1

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.

Responsorial Psalm

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

R.    (117:1a)  All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R.    Alleluia.
His foundation upon the holy mountains
the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
more than any dwelling of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,
O city of God!
R.    All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R.    Alleluia.
I tell of Egypt and Babylon
among those who know the LORD;
Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia:
“This man was born there.”
And of Zion they shall say:
“One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her
is the Most High LORD.”
R.    All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R.    Alleluia.
They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:
“This man was born there.”
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:
“My home is within you.”
R.    All you nations, praise the Lord.
or:
R.    Alleluia.

Alleluia

John 10:27

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

John 10:22-30

The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem.
It was winter.
And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.
So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,
“How long are you going to keep us in suspense?
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe.
The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me.
But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.
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.”

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Listening for Jesus

When you think about God, what or whom do you imagine? What traits come to mind? Who is listening at the other end of your prayers?

Our Human Idols of God

As we go through our lives, we develop an image of God in our minds. For some, He is kind, loving, merciful. For others He is terrifying and awe inspiring. Some believe He seeks to punish and judge, and others see Him as passively making allowance for whatever life makes an individual happy.

One way or another, we all develop an idea of the identity and character of God. Our family, friends, schools, churches, institutions, and the world around us, either intentionally or unwittingly, teach us about God. Even our sins, like pride, anger, or greed can feed our perceptions of God. You will never find someone on the street who doesn’t have an opinion about Him or about Jesus.

Perceiving is Believing

The problem is that our perceptions can greatly affect not only our view of Him, but also our relationship with Him and how we represent Him to the world around us. It was the relationship between Stephen and God, and what He perceived of Jesus that gave him the courage to face death in Jesus name. Saul was a devout Jewish man and church leader. It was his life and education that left Him certain that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would have him persecute Christians. For some of the apostles in the first reading, it was their knowledge of God that sent them to preach Christ crucified, but only to the Jew. At the same time, Saul, Peter, and others felt certainly called to teach the Greeks, or the gentiles.

So with so many sources telling us what we should believe about God, where do we turn? In the gospel reading, the people have the same burning question we sometimes face.

“How long are you going to keep us in suspense?
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

John 10:24bc

Sometimes, as a believer, I want Jesus to just tell me what He wants from me. Go here? You got it. Say this? Ok. It would be so much easier if I could just always please Him. But even that says something about my perception of God, doesn’t it? That assumes that I believe God only wants obedience. Instead Jesus asks for something else. Relationship.

Knowing His Voice

Jesus wants an intimate knowing of us and He asks that we know Him the same way. He wants us to seek out His heart and to know and follow because we can recognize His voice. In the din of this world, He wants us to turn towards His voice alone, knowing it unmistakably above all the others around us.

But how to we know Him? At the time of the above readings, people all had varying perceptions that lead them down varying paths. Stephen, Saul later Paul, Peter, other apostles, the Jews, the Gentiles, the first Christians at Antioch, they all at times had different perceptions of Jesus. Where can we find Him truly?

Where to Find Jesus Today

We can find Him in three places. His Word. His Works. His Church. Its hard right now. We can’t go to mass, and we can’t access the Eucharist, where we are certain to truly find His presence. But He can always be found in His word. And when you know His Word, His Holy Scriptures, you begin to recognize His words in other areas of your life. The voice of the Holy Spirit becomes clearer, and when Jesus speaks, your heart will turn to Him without second thoughts, doubting, or guessing.

So turn to your bible. Make time for Him today. Turn to the one place you are certain to find His presence today. Jesus is truly presence in the living Word of the bible, as He is presence in the Holy Eucharist. When we beg Him to “tell us plainly”, He already has.

Start the Series

If you are struggling with hearing Jesus in this busy world, consider trying my Fix Your Eyes on Jesus scripture writing series. Its easy and can take as much time as you desire it to. You simply write down the scripture. Ideally, spend some time in prayer and maybe journaling afterwards, allowing the voice of Jesus to speak to you. Children learn the voice of their mother or father by hearing it constantly. Its why we refer to scripture as daily bread. We need it daily. Its one small way that you can learn to recognize His voice.