By Rev. Tuong Nguyen
Jesus tells us: “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.”
As sheep, whose voice do we listen and follow? Do we know and recognize the voice of our Shepherd?
We hear many voices each day – some inspire, others distract.
Just a few days ago, in the still silence of the early morning, something happened that shocked us wide awake. At 2:00 a.m., the moment the white smoke appeared over the Sistine Chapel, a seminarian ran through the halls of our seminary ringing the bell, waking everyone up. Why? Because Pope Leo XIV had just been elected – the first American Pope, and a man known for his missionary heart and pastoral love.
It was a beautiful reminder: when something truly important happens, we don’t mind being disturbed. And just like that bell in the night, Jesus’s voice sometimes comes when we least expect it, not to scare us, but to wake us up.
Jesus says today, “No one will ever steal them from me.” What a comfort – to know we are safe in Him, even in the face of change.
The challenge, however, is recognizing His voice amidst the distractions. The question is: are we truly listening?
Pope Leo XIV’s election reminds us that the Church is alive, the Shepherd is still guiding us, and the voice of Christ continues to call His flock together in every corner of the world.
So, if a bell at 2:00 a.m. can wake us up for a new pope, maybe today is the moment to let Jesus wake us up for a new way of living.