The Divine Shepherd is always a good Shepherd, but what about you the sheep
In todays Gospel, John 10:1-10 something important struck me about the sheep. “…the sheep follows because they know his voice.
Do you know the voice of the shepherd?
They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers” (John 10:4-5). As it was with the Palestinian shepherds, so it is with God. The bond between the sheep and the shepherd is the recognition of his voice. The sheep know his voice, they understand his whistling, they understand his mumblings, they understand his signs and only because they know his voice as different from that of a stranger, they followed him.
Can we say this of ourselves? Christians! Can we truly say we are following the Good Shepherd? Brothers and Sisters, do we recognise Jesus’ voice in the midst of the deafening noise, crippling fear, concocted lies and orchestrated deceits in our world? Where is our bond with the shepherd if we do not know his voice? How do we pride ourselves as sheep when we cannot hear the master?
Brothers and Sisters, there are strange voices everywhere, strange voices that are out to steal, kill and destroy the sheep (John 10:10). We hear them on our televisions, radios, phones, the internet (social media), on our billboards, even in our heads. These strange voices confuse, mislead, derail, incite fear, suggest evil actions, lure us to abandon eternal life and to embrace eternal death. These strange voices come in fascinating, convincing, beautiful ideas and pseudo-truths that aid us to lose our faith in God- the Good shepherd. These evil voices proceed out of the mouths of fake shepherds (pastors), friends- virtual and online friends and families luring us to act against God.
If we are good sheep seeking to follow the good shepherd, we must resist these strange voices (James 4:7). If we have entertained these voices in the past, like the crowd in the first reading, we must repent, be baptised and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Like strayed sheep, we have to come back to Jesus- the shepherd and guardian of our souls (I Peter 2:25).
Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, it is only in harkening to the voice of the Good Shepherd that we can follow as true sheep. It is only in following as true sheep that we are protected, sheltered, healed, settled, nourished, blessed and assured of his presence forever. Do you look to Jesus the Good Shepherd, to receive the strength and courage you need to live and serve as his disciple? At the end of each day the shepherd brought his sheep into shelter. They knew the voice of their shepherd and came at his beckoning. So familiar was the shepherd and his sheep, that each was called by a distinct name. In the winter the sheep were usually brought to a communal village shelter which was locked and kept secure by a guardian. In the summer months the sheep were usually kept out in the fields and then gathered into a fold at night which was guarded by a shepherd throughout the night. He was literally the door through which the sheep had to pass.
Let us pray
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want;
he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
May we never be victims of these strange voices. We also pray for an increase in genuine vocations in our world. May we continually hear Jesus’ voice, follow him who is the shepherd and guardian of our souls. Amen.
Rev Fr Lawrence Ogundipe sdv
In todays Gospel, John 10:1-10 something important struck me about the sheep. “…the sheep follows because they know his voice.
Do you know the voice of the shepherd?
They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers” (John 10:4-5). As it was with the Palestinian shepherds, so it is with God. The bond between the sheep and the shepherd is the recognition of his voice. The sheep know his voice, they understand his whistling, they understand his mumblings, they understand his signs and only because they know his voice as different from that of a stranger, they followed him.
Can we say this of ourselves? Christians! Can we truly say we are following the Good Shepherd? Brothers and Sisters, do we recognise Jesus’ voice in the midst of the deafening noise, crippling fear, concocted lies and orchestrated deceits in our world? Where is our bond with the shepherd if we do not know his voice? How do we pride ourselves as sheep when we cannot hear the master?
Brothers and Sisters, there are strange voices everywhere, strange voices that are out to steal, kill and destroy the sheep (John 10:10). We hear them on our televisions, radios, phones, the internet (social media), on our billboards, even in our heads. These strange voices confuse, mislead, derail, incite fear, suggest evil actions, lure us to abandon eternal life and to embrace eternal death. These strange voices come in fascinating, convincing, beautiful ideas and pseudo-truths that aid us to lose our faith in God- the Good shepherd. These evil voices proceed out of the mouths of fake shepherds (pastors), friends- virtual and online friends and families luring us to act against God.
If we are good sheep seeking to follow the good shepherd, we must resist these strange voices (James 4:7). If we have entertained these voices in the past, like the crowd in the first reading, we must repent, be baptised and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Like strayed sheep, we have to come back to Jesus- the shepherd and guardian of our souls (I Peter 2:25).
Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, it is only in harkening to the voice of the Good Shepherd that we can follow as true sheep. It is only in following as true sheep that we are protected, sheltered, healed, settled, nourished, blessed and assured of his presence forever. Do you look to Jesus the Good Shepherd, to receive the strength and courage you need to live and serve as his disciple? At the end of each day the shepherd brought his sheep into shelter. They knew the voice of their shepherd and came at his beckoning. So familiar was the shepherd and his sheep, that each was called by a distinct name. In the winter the sheep were usually brought to a communal village shelter which was locked and kept secure by a guardian. In the summer months the sheep were usually kept out in the fields and then gathered into a fold at night which was guarded by a shepherd throughout the night. He was literally the door through which the sheep had to pass.
The Scriptures describe God as a shepherd who brings security and peace to his people. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore (Psalm 120:8). Even the leaders of God's people are called shepherds: they shall lead them out and bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep which have no shepherd (Numbers 27:17). Just as a shepherd kept watch over his sheep and protected them from danger, so Jesus stands watch over his people as the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls (1 Peter 2:25). Do you know the peace and security of a life fully submitted to God? Who is your shepherd, God or Devil? Divine or mundane?
Let us pray
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want;
he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
May we never be victims of these strange voices. We also pray for an increase in genuine vocations in our world. May we continually hear Jesus’ voice, follow him who is the shepherd and guardian of our souls. Amen.
Rev Fr Lawrence Ogundipe sdv
Thanks father for this soul enriching message.
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