My sheep hear my voice and they’ll have abundant life
My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
As we contemplate Jesus the Good Shepherd today, Pope John Paul II declared the fourth Sunday of Easter a Day of Prayer for Vocations. We pray that many may listen to the voice of Jesus as he calls.
On the evening when Pope John XXIII announced the opening of the Second Vatican Council -- the first one since 1870 -- he could not sleep. Finally, he called himself to order: "Angelo, why aren't you sleeping? Who is running the Church, you or the Holy Spirit? So sleep." And he did.
We are afraid what is going to happen to our church. Nothing will happen because Jesus is our good shepherd and He is in control.
In Palestine, the shepherd brought the sheep into the sheepfold every night. It was a circular stonewall with an opening or door where the sheep entered. Once the sheep were inside for the night, the shepherd slept in that opening or door all night. The sheep could not get out without stepping over the shepherd’s body, which meant they would not get out at all during the night. Jesus is our Good shepherd and we are his flock.
Today’s Gospel says so simply my sheep hear my voice! No one can take them out of my hand. It is by listening to His voice and recognizing His presence and believing in Him that we are saved.
We are invited to hear the voice of our Good Shepherd. We know that He is with us, even when we walk in the valley of darkness.
We hear so much that is just noise.
Do you hear voices?
Yes, I would say you do. I sure do! Do we listen? Can we really hear?
Frank was worried that the woman he married forty years ago was growing deaf. So one day when she was working in the garden, he went out, stood on the other side of the yard, about thirty feet behind her, and called out, “Mary!”
No answer.
Frank came fifteen feet closer. “Mary!” Still no answer. Frank was getting worried. Worse than I expected, he thought.
He went up right behind her, almost touching, as she knelt over her planting. “Mary!”
This time a response: “For the third time, Frank, what is it?”
We hear so much that is just noise.
Deaf like Frank in this little story– not knowing we are deaf – thinking it is all someone else’s problem.
Those who hear his voice and follow him in that path of giving will have the blessing of abundant life.
When you follow Jesus, God's abundant life bubbles in you like a fountain.
There were once two brothers who farmed together. They shared equally in all of the work and split the profits exactly. Each had his own granary(grain warehouse). One of the brothers was married and had a large family; the other brother was single.
One day the single brother thought to himself, "It is not fair that we divide the grain evenly. My brother has many mouths to feed, while I have but one. I know what I'll do; I will take a sack of grain from my granary each evening and put it in my brother's granary." So, each night when it was dark, he carefully carried a sack of grain, placing it in his brother's barn.
Now the married brother thought to himself, "It is not fair that we divide the grain evenly. I have many children to care for me in my old age, and my brother has none. I know what I'll do; I will take a sack of grain from my granary each evening and put it in my brother's granary." And he did.
Each morning the two brothers were amazed to discover that though they had removed a sack of grain the night before, they had just as many as before.
One night the two brothers met each other halfway between their barns, each carrying a sack of grain. Then they understood the mystery. And they embraced, and loved each other deeply.
There is an old Jewish legend that says God looked down from heaven, saw the two brothers embracing, and said, "I declare this to be a holy place, for I have witnessed extraordinary love here." It is said that it was on that spot that Solomon built the first temple.
The two brothers did know the way to abundant life, to a life of joy and love and blessing. Each brother, in his own quite different way of life, felt blessed. Each felt his cup running over and wanted to share that abundance of life with his brother.
Abundant life is a gift. It is not something that anyone can steal or earn or get for themselves. Abundant life is a gift. And abundant life is about giving. It is about knowing that whatever fortune or misfortune the world has dealt you, you still have some gift to share.
Everyone who is entrusted with the care of others is a shepherd. Hence, pastors, parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, government officials, etc. are all shepherds. We become good shepherds by loving those entrusted to us, praying for them, spending our time and talents for their welfare, and guarding them from physical and spiritual dangers.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
As we contemplate Jesus the Good Shepherd today, Pope John Paul II declared the fourth Sunday of Easter a Day of Prayer for Vocations. We pray that many may listen to the voice of Jesus as he calls.
On the evening when Pope John XXIII announced the opening of the Second Vatican Council -- the first one since 1870 -- he could not sleep. Finally, he called himself to order: "Angelo, why aren't you sleeping? Who is running the Church, you or the Holy Spirit? So sleep." And he did.
We are afraid what is going to happen to our church. Nothing will happen because Jesus is our good shepherd and He is in control.
In Palestine, the shepherd brought the sheep into the sheepfold every night. It was a circular stonewall with an opening or door where the sheep entered. Once the sheep were inside for the night, the shepherd slept in that opening or door all night. The sheep could not get out without stepping over the shepherd’s body, which meant they would not get out at all during the night. Jesus is our Good shepherd and we are his flock.
Today’s Gospel says so simply my sheep hear my voice! No one can take them out of my hand. It is by listening to His voice and recognizing His presence and believing in Him that we are saved.
We are invited to hear the voice of our Good Shepherd. We know that He is with us, even when we walk in the valley of darkness.
We hear so much that is just noise.
Do you hear voices?
Yes, I would say you do. I sure do! Do we listen? Can we really hear?
Frank was worried that the woman he married forty years ago was growing deaf. So one day when she was working in the garden, he went out, stood on the other side of the yard, about thirty feet behind her, and called out, “Mary!”
No answer.
Frank came fifteen feet closer. “Mary!” Still no answer. Frank was getting worried. Worse than I expected, he thought.
He went up right behind her, almost touching, as she knelt over her planting. “Mary!”
This time a response: “For the third time, Frank, what is it?”
We hear so much that is just noise.
Deaf like Frank in this little story– not knowing we are deaf – thinking it is all someone else’s problem.
Those who hear his voice and follow him in that path of giving will have the blessing of abundant life.
When you follow Jesus, God's abundant life bubbles in you like a fountain.
There were once two brothers who farmed together. They shared equally in all of the work and split the profits exactly. Each had his own granary(grain warehouse). One of the brothers was married and had a large family; the other brother was single.
One day the single brother thought to himself, "It is not fair that we divide the grain evenly. My brother has many mouths to feed, while I have but one. I know what I'll do; I will take a sack of grain from my granary each evening and put it in my brother's granary." So, each night when it was dark, he carefully carried a sack of grain, placing it in his brother's barn.
Now the married brother thought to himself, "It is not fair that we divide the grain evenly. I have many children to care for me in my old age, and my brother has none. I know what I'll do; I will take a sack of grain from my granary each evening and put it in my brother's granary." And he did.
Each morning the two brothers were amazed to discover that though they had removed a sack of grain the night before, they had just as many as before.
One night the two brothers met each other halfway between their barns, each carrying a sack of grain. Then they understood the mystery. And they embraced, and loved each other deeply.
There is an old Jewish legend that says God looked down from heaven, saw the two brothers embracing, and said, "I declare this to be a holy place, for I have witnessed extraordinary love here." It is said that it was on that spot that Solomon built the first temple.
The two brothers did know the way to abundant life, to a life of joy and love and blessing. Each brother, in his own quite different way of life, felt blessed. Each felt his cup running over and wanted to share that abundance of life with his brother.
Abundant life is a gift. It is not something that anyone can steal or earn or get for themselves. Abundant life is a gift. And abundant life is about giving. It is about knowing that whatever fortune or misfortune the world has dealt you, you still have some gift to share.
Everyone who is entrusted with the care of others is a shepherd. Hence, pastors, parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, government officials, etc. are all shepherds. We become good shepherds by loving those entrusted to us, praying for them, spending our time and talents for their welfare, and guarding them from physical and spiritual dangers.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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