The Fourth Tuesday of Easter

“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.”

Jesus has told all of us that He is the Christ, not only through his words, but his works as well. Now it is up to us to listen to his voice and believe. It might be difficult for us to accept some of Jesus’ teachings, but part of being Christian is putting our faith in the Gospel messages and the teachings and traditions of the Church. This is why it is so important to remember to pray to God, “Lord I believe. Help my unbelief.” We all have our doubts, fears, and anxieties, but how we handle them determines whether we grow in faith or falter. When we place our trust in God’s Plan and follow the commandments to love God and our neighbors, then we shall have a firm foundation to seek the truth in all we do.

Do we believe in the teachings of Christ in spite of our doubts?  Are we listening for his voice in our lives? Are we willing to trust in God’s Divine Plan?

O Lord, give us eternal rest and never let us perish.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

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.

Jesus is our shepherd. He is our leader, our life-giver, and our protector. He will never let anything happen to us without doing everything in his power to help us overcome our obstacles and succeed. He even feeds us with his own Body and Blood to sustain our spirits through good times and bad. He will never abandon us, even if we abandon him in sin and get lost in the world. He will search for us no matter where we go and will offer us forgiveness if we will come back to him. He also offers to carry us when we are weak from doubts, anxieties, illness and other troubles. He promises to tend us with a loving kindness that will heal and strengthen us even in the midst of our greatest trials. All we have to do is call out to him, to let him lift us up, and lead us where we need to be.

Are we listening for the voice of God in our lives? Are we willing to let Jesus lead us, enliven us, and protect us? How can we become better followers of Christ?

O Lord, lead us to eternal life and never let us perish.

Amen.

Tuesday in the Octave of Easter

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.

When someone calls our name, we usually respond to them. Sometimes we know who is calling us even before we see them because we know their voices. God knows each of us by name and we should always keep our ears open to His call. This is especially the case when we are in the midst of trial and turmoil, like Mary was as she frantically searched for Jesus’ body. She was so distraught she didn't recognize Jesus by his appearance, but rather by his voice. The gospel is one of the ways God’s voice makes itself manifest to us and if we want to be able to recognize Him when he is calling, we need to familiarize ourselves with it. We also need to be open to the messages He sends to us through our family, friends, and neighbors. They might not always speak for God, but sometimes they tell us something God needs us to hear.

Are we listening for God’s voice? When we hear it, how do we react? Do we welcome it or ignore it?

O Lord, you are our teacher, help us to listen to your voice.

Amen.