Some Christians would like to see faith as an intellectual exercise, going no further than acceptance of certain truths as divinely revealed. Others want to use faith as a tool to manipulate the Divine Mind around to their own way of thinking and the mold the Divine Will to conform to their own desires. The image of a shepherd and his sheep, as given by Jesus in Jn 10, draws us above these mechanical and self-serving conceptions of faith. Faith is a matter of belonging. The decisive question of faith is: "To whom do you belong?" Thus the words of Jesus cannot be accepted on the basis of human argumentation and reasoning. We can accept his word only because we accept him: "My sheep hear my voice" (v 27). Those who ask to be convinced (v 24) will never be convinced because they want only knowledge without commitment. Knowledge of a person demands the price of commitment; otherwise this knowledge cannot go beyond surface impressions. Our experience of human friendship tells us this. Only if we take the trouble to accept the other person into the fabric of our lives — in a sense to belong to him or her —can we say that we are beginning to know him or her. Without such a commitment, knowledge cannot reach the inner person of the other because we would not really care about the inner person of the other.

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus opens up the other side of that relationship as well. Not only do his sheep know him and hear his voice, but he knows them and he gives them eternal life. The intimate knowledge of Jesus that comes as a result of belonging to him is itself eternal life because "the Father and I are one" (v 30).

The apostles continue to witness to the Shepherd who gives his life for the sheep and enables them to have eternal life. The long sermon of Paul to the Jews in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia (in the heart of present-day Turkey) (vv 16-41) announcing the good news is favorably received (vv 42-43) — until they began to realize its full implications. Once it becomes clear to them that salvation is not an exclusive possession of any one people (that is, themselves!) but a gift to be shared with all, even the Gentiles, they will hear no more of this. The opposition from the Jewish leaders begins to mount. But, as many Jews say no to the word, many Gentiles begin to welcome it and respond to it. The Good Shepherd wants to draw all into his fold. We cannot try to make his flock into our own private club by harboring our own opinions as to who should included and who should be excluded.

This is a song of praise to the Lord who faithfully shepherds his people. Response: "We are his people: the sheep of his flock."

This apocalyptic vision of John depicts the fulfillment of the Gospel promise, and pointedly indicates that all peoples are called to share in this eternal life. The white garments represent the cleansing of baptism in the death of Christ and the Christian life of faith. Martyrdom — witness to Christ in the midst of trial and suffering — is the call given to each of us, not just a special few. Roots of this passage in the Hebrew Scriptures are Ps 23 and Is 49:10.

1. Why should faithful witness to Christ necessarily involve trials and suffering?

2. What are the various things "belonging to someone" can mean? How does this help us understand our relationship to Christ?