Acts 13:14, 43-52; Ps. 100:1-2,3,5; Rev. 7:9, 14b-17; Jn. 10:27-30

“I know my sheep and mine know me.”  No doubt the Lord knows us but how well do we know the Lord?  The God of creation is our good shepherd who knows are strengths, weaknesses, temptations, potential and limitations.  The Lord knows the mind of his sheep, the degree of love with which we follow him, and the rebellious spirit of our will to be obedient to his will.  Praise be to God for he is merciful and slow to anger against our resistance to follow him.  The Lord knows his sheep and is patient and loving in guiding us to open our hearts to his heart and to enter into his grace.  God is love. 

The question remains, “how well do we know the Lord?”  In the first reading we hear that “all who were destined for eternal life came to believe”.  Destiny was not predetermined by birth but by the free will of the soul who the Lord knew who respond to his voice.  The Lord knows the souls of those that did not care to know him and turned against him.  There are many in this world who remain indifferent to knowing the Lord.  Their purpose is to live this life as the only time of their existence.  Knowing God is not a priority.  The consequence of this ignorance is not only the potential of losing heaven but the loss of God’s “shelter” through this life.  They wander in the desert of life in search of themselves instead of knowing God. 

Knowing God is an active participation in the kingdom of God.  The kingdom of God extends from heaven to earth, from the communion of saints to the poorest of the poor, and from the sacramental life of the church to the solitary prayer to God.  It weaves itself throughout life revealing God himself to us in the works we are called to fulfill for his kingdom.  It is both a mystery of faith and a revelation in the miracles of life.  For this reason, two people can be side by side and one will be lifted up into the kingdom and another left behind.  The beauty of the kingdom is always present and within access but not all choose to access it. 

“I know my sheep” says the Lord and they don’t incite violence and hate upon others as the Jews did against Paul and Barnabas.  Violence and hate are a sign of weakness not power, fear not confidence, lies not truth.  The world is quick incite violence as an act of justice and retribution but the message is lost in the injustice that results.  Jesus appearance to the disciples after the resurrection is with the message “peace be with you”.  The message of salvation is one of peace, truth, and love, everything else is from the evil one.  If we are his people then we are messengers of peace. 

This week we also celebrate the election of our new pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, the first American born Pope.  He is the Vicar of Christ meaning Jesus is the head of the Church and Pope Leo his appointed successor of Peter to lead the flock.  The voice of the Holy Spirit has guided the Cardinals to lay the cross of Jesus on the shoulders of this man.  He is called to be the shepherd for our times. 

Pope Leo XIV is not only multilingual but multicultural with French, Italian, and Spanish heritage.  He has a degree in mathematics which can be an asset to a church heavily in debt.  He comes from the Augustinian religious order with years of leadership experience.  In his first words as Pope Leo, he expressed his peace upon the people and his desire to build bridges of unity.  His motto “In illo Uno unum” (In the one, One) is the Jesus prayer for unity that we may all be one.  In one God, in one Trinity, in one Spirit is the one universal church for all the people.