Jesus said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” John 10:1-10
In today’s reading Jesus speaks about being the Shepherd, calling His flock to follow Him. The sheep recognize His voice and follow Him. The people who listen are attuned to God and respond to Jesus as the Shepherd. The Pharisees who were prideful because of their religious knowledge did not respond to Jesus’ voice and failed to recognize Jesus as the true Shepherd. The Pharisees saw Jesus as a stranger to their religious beliefs and practices so they did not respond to his voice. Reflect today on whether you respond to Jesus’ voice or if you are like the Pharisees and dismiss His voice as that of a stranger. Familiarize yourself with Jesus and listen to His voice. You will begin to see His glory in ways you have not seen before through the eyes of faith.
The King Of Love My Shepherd Is (Hymn 171)