April 29th, Fourth Sunday of Easter
Today’s Gospel excerpt is one of the shortest that we use in the entire liturgical year. It is only about four sentences. What a joyful message coming from the mouth of Jesus of Nazareth. They contain promises and those promises are made to you and to me.

Jesus says that when we hear his voice he knows us and expects us to follow him. In walking in his footsteps, we will be given eternal life and never perish. Our spiritual future is secure and no evil force can snatch us out of the hand of Jesus. This flows from the fact that the Father is greater than all and has given Jesus those who believe in him. He points out that he and the Father are one and we then remember that on the basis of our baptism we are one with Jesus and, therefore, we are one with the inner-life of the Trinity.

These words are so beautiful but you need to go and look at the whole text of the Gospel. These words were uttered by our Sacred Lord at a time when people are yelling at him and screaming at him and demanding that he explain who he is and what he is about. He does explain. They did not hear. But you and I have heard him. Thanks be to God.

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