The Voice Of The Shepherd

A short Italian man, Enrico, worked as a janitor in one of the office buildings in the city of Rome, Italy. To pass the time as he washed windows, painted walls or cleaned out office rooms, he would hum the most beautiful melodies. One of the office workers approached him out of curiosity to ask where he learned to sing such melodious songs. He explained that as a boy he lived in one of the small towns in the hills surrounding Rome. His father owned some sheep and he would help bring them out to pasture. To let the sheep know that someone was close by keeping an eye on them, he and his father would hum the songs. If they ever got distracted and stopped humming, the sheep would get excited, stop eating and begin to panic. Once they began humming the songs again, the sheep would settle down and feel secure. They needed to hear the humming to know that their shepherd was nearby and that they were safe.

The author of the twenty-third psalm which we prayed together after the first reading loved to think of God as a shepherd. God was always close to him providing him with all he needed and comforting him. Because God was always by his side, he felt that nothing could make him afraid. As he writes: "Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side." Just as the sheep could graze in peace knowing their shepherd was nearby, so the sacred author of this psalm felt that God was so close to him and so protective of him that he could live in peace, confident that all would be well.

So much in life can make us panic. There are so many bills to be paid, but only so much money. There is so much work to be done, but only so much time and energy. The obligations and demands of being a parent, a student or a priest can seem overwhelming and impossible.  But within the roar of our daily activities a gently humming can be heard if we slow down long enough to notice it. Our God is always at our side giving us what we need to make it through the day. The Lord is our shepherd; there is nothing we shall want.

Do we face the difficulties of life with the confidence that God is close by? No matter how busy our schedules may be, do we take time aside to pray as Jesus and the apostles tried to do in today's gospel and listen for the voice of our shepherd? Do we trust God to lead us in paths that are right and to provide for our needs and the needs of our family?

Jesus is still among us as our shepherd. Though we can no longer see and touch him, he is very much in control of our lives leading us and protecting us. His Holy Spirit, which we received at our baptism, speaks to our hearts and assures us that he is close by. The Holy Spirit is the voice of God humming within us giving us joy and confidence as we face the challenges of life in the 21st century. We simply need to make the time each day to step out of our routine and listen for that gentle voice in the silence.

Not only does Jesus shepherd us individually through the Holy Spirit, he also leads us as a community of faith through the gift of the priesthood. When the priest baptizes, it is the Good Shepherd, Jesus, bringing another sheep into his flock. Through the ministry of priests, Jesus leads us to a rich pasture by feeding us his very body and blood in the Eucharist. Jesus seeks us out when we are lost and heals our wounds when we approach the priest in the sacrament of Penance. Through the gift of the priesthood, Jesus is really present among us meeting our deepest need for friendship with God.

There is no doubt that each of us has been blessed by the ministry of priests. They most likely have been with us both at our happiest and at our saddest times. They are among the most gifted and generous men we know. Most importantly, they have given their lives in service of the gospel to bring Jesus to us. They are good shepherds whose life and ministry bring us face to face with the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

We should make a special effort to remember priests in our prayers. Like each of us, they face many difficulties. They often see people at the very worst day of their lives, when they are sick or dying or have suffered a tragedy. They are willing to rush out in the middle of the night to be with a family whose house has caught on fire. They are expected to have words of wisdom and consolation whenever we are confused or anxious. We expect much of our priests, and it can often leave them discouraged and exhausted. It is not only important for us to pray for them at all times but to let them know that we love and appreciate them by saying a kind word to them after Mass or even dropping a thank you note in the mail from time to time. When we do so, we are also honoring the Good Shepherd, Jesus, whose life and ministry is still active among us because of the dedication of these special men.

Who Am I?

Who am I?

Most people answer this question by pointing to something outside themselves.

Some people answer the question, “who am I?”, by pointing to their work. I am an architect. I am an engineer. I am a nurse. For these people, their identity is grounded in how they make a living. Who they are is represented by what they do.

Other people answer this question by highlighting their status in the community. They might be on the local school committee or might serve on the board of a charity. These activities in the community give them meaning and strengthen their sense of self as men or women of importance. They answer the question, “who am I?” by trumpeting the causes they support.

Others pride themselves on symbols of wealth such as what neighborhood they live in, what type of car they drive or the quality of the clothes they wear. They believe that these material possessions signal to others that they are “well-to-do” and worthy of being noticed and looked up to. They answer the question, “who am I?” by telling others where they live and what they find fashionable.

However, as Christians, our identity is not grounded in our occupation, our social status or in our material possessions. We do not look to people or things outside of ourselves to tell us who we are. Rather, we look within to the God who dwells in our souls. In the depths of our beings, we discover that we are made in the image and likeness of God. We affirm that each of us reflects the beauty and truth of the One who created us. We derive meaning not from the things of this world but from the God who calls us to love and serve Him in this life and to live with Him forever in the life to come.

Saint John in today’s second reading reveals this truth to us in moving terms: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.”

As Christians, we answer the question, “who am I?”, by pointing to the God who loves us.

Who are we? We are God’s children.

As the truth of our identity as children of God becomes firmer in our minds, we begin to live with great confidence. Our sense of self can never be shaken because it is solidly grounded in the God who never changes and who makes all things work to our good.

If my identity is grounded in what I do for a living, what happens to me when I lose my job?  In a sense, not only do I lose my source of income, I also lose my sense of self. With the economic difficulties of the past ten years, many of us know first hand how devastating unemployment can be. However, when my identity is grounded in God and His love for me, I do not judge myself worthless when I am not making an income. Rather I see myself as God sees me, as worthwhile and valuable no matter what my paycheck may be.

If my identity is grounded in what neighborhood I live in, then what happens to me if I should lose my house? Often, those who live in high end neighborhoods cannot actually afford the maintenance costs and property taxes that go along with their expensive homes. It is not long before they go into bankruptcy and foreclosure. Then what happens to their identity? They are exposed as frauds. However, when God and His love are the source of my happiness, I can remain calm even when I lose everything. My sense of self comes not from my home here on earth but from the eternal home God has reserved for me in heaven.

When our identity is grounded in God’s love for us, not only do we live with confidence we also experience true freedom. In today’s gospel, Jesus talks about the freedom He has to lay down His life for His sheep: “No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.” Jesus was free to die for our sins because He did not care what others thought. He was free to speak the truth because His power was not given to Him by the religious or political authorities of His day. Rather it came from God. He did not have to worry about protecting His status in society or what His neighbors would say. He was free to do His Father’s will by laying down His life for us.

The same is true for us. How often do we not do what we know is right because we are worried about how it will affect our job or what our neighbors will say? How much time and energy do we put into keeping up appearances rather than following our conscience? Instead of being free to do God’s will, we find ourselves enslaved to the fashions, customs and expectations of society. All that is because our identity is grounded on others rather than on our status as children of God.

However, when we follow Jesus, our Good Shepherd, all that changes. We speak the truth as we know it, even when others ridicule us. We do what we know to be right, even when others criticize us. In the process, we might even be surprised to find that there are many others who believe as we do but have just not found the courage to say so. Our example might just inspire them to abandon the dysfunctional attitudes of our society and look to our Good Shepherd for direction in life. In so doing, our culture might just begin to change for the better, one person at a time.

We are children of God, each made in His image and likeness. We have a dignity that comes not from our status in society, not from our jobs and not from our material possessions but from our place in God’s Kingdom. It is a dignity we can never lose no matter how poor, weak or sick we may become. Let us live, then, with the confidence and freedom that comes from our status as children of God. Then the peace and joy that the world cannot take away will be ours as we follow Jesus, our Good Shepherd.

Shepherding With Love

Manny was just seven years old when his father first brought him to the rolling fields of Portugal’s Alentejo region to work with him as a shepherd. He remembered walking along the edges of the flock making sure all the sheep were accounted for and that there were no dangers lurking. He remembers the long hours in the hot summer sun and the cold, wet winter evenings. But most of all, he remembers how seriously his father took his job as a shepherd. It was important to him that the sheep be protected and be taken care of. His father loved the sheep. Though to Manny they all looked the same,  his father could tell the sheep apart.

As he grew older, Manny saw the contrast between how his father took care of his sheep and how other shepherds treated theirs. Many times he saw other shepherds go out into the field after having spent hours drinking at the bar. He saw them yelling at the sheep and even beating them. Most often, though, the sheep were neglected being left alone in the field while the shepherds went off to chat with their friends at the fence.

His father, however, never yelled at the sheep. His gentle voice was enough to let them know that they had strayed off too far or that it was time to head back in. And he never left the sheep to talk to his friends. If someone from the village would call out to him, he would simply wave at him and go back to his business.

While they were out in the fields one afternoon, Manny asked his father why he took his job so seriously. After all, they were only a bunch of dumb sheep. His father told him that his love and care for the sheep was due to the great devotion he had to Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Whenever he would feel impatient with the sheep or get tired, he would remember Jesus’ words, “The Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” He would reflect on how much Jesus loves each of us though we so often stray from him. That would give him the strength to do his best to also nourish and protect his own flock.

Manny’s father wanted more for his son than the simple life of a country shepherd, so he made sure that he went off to the university. However, after his graduation, during his years as a businessman and then later as a husband and father, he never forgot the lessons he learned in the fields with his father. He took his inspiration from Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who teaches us that to be successful no matter what our path in life may be, we have to love totally and love freely.

The lessons that Manny learned in the field with his father are also those taught to us today by Jesus in the gospel. He holds himself out to us as the model of a love that is totally and freely given.

First of all, Jesus’ love is total and without limits. It is a love that gives of itself without counting the cost. As He tells us, “The Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” It is a love that is willing to sacrifice and to put the good of others before one’s own. It is a love that is willing to suffer so that others may be comforted and to go without so that others may have what they need.

That type of love does not come naturally to us. So many times before we give we ask ourselves, “What is in it for me?” We limit our love to those who love us back or who can do something for us. If we are to rise above our human limitations and embrace a love that extends even to those who hate us, we need to first have a loving relationship with Jesus, our Good Shepherd. By reflecting on how He loves us even when we disappoint Him and push Him away, we will be given the grace to love others in the same way.

Secondly, Jesus’ love is freely given. In today’s gospel, He says, “No one takes my life from me; I lay it down freely.” Jesus did not grudgingly suffer and die for our sins. He chose to die. At any time, He could have come down from the cross, but He freely hung there so that we could have salvation and eternal life. It was a total act of unselfish love done not out of coercion but out of a free gift of self that He made for the world.

If our love is to be like Jesus’, we must give it freely, without looking for thanks or appreciation. It happens many times in families that one adult child ends up having to take care of the parents. The other children may have already left the home and started families of their own and there is no one else who is able to take care of the aging father or mother. He or she may do it out of a sense of duty to the parent or may worry about what others would say if they did not take care of them. Over the years, resentment can build up. It is a very natural and human response to having to sacrifice one’s life to care for another.

However, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, teaches us another way. Instead of feeling backed into a corner, they can make a choice every day to show the same love to their parents that was shown to them when they were growing up. They can choose to unite their sacrifice to that of Jesus on the cross and receive the grace to give of themselves. By doing so, by giving of themselves freely rather than feeling that they have no other choice, they can begin to feel freedom from the guilt and resentment that so often comes with taking care of aging parents.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, shows us the way to success by making our lives a total and freely given offering of love to others. By reflecting on the great love He showed us, we can begin to imitate it in our own lives. Then we will know true freedom, abundant joy and the blessings of peace.

Something's Wrong

What is wrong with me?

What is wrong with you?

What is wrong with us?

All of us sense that there is something wrong either with ourselves as individuals or with the society as a whole. We feel that something is missing or that we are going in the wrong direction. Even when things are going well we are haunted by the fear that our happiness is only temporary, that it will all be taken away from us. Or, when we have reached the level of success and prosperity we have worked so hard to achieve, we all of a sudden wonder if that's all there is.

No one has a permanent answer or remedy for this unease which every human experiences. Politicians can offer us rules and regulations. Psychologists can encourage us to improve our self-esteem. The television tries to convince us that all we need is the latest fashion or gadget. But we end up in the same place, wondering what that "something more" is that our hearts are longing for.

The Bible has a different perspective on our problem and a certain answer. God's word teaches us that what is wrong with us and with the world is that our relationship with God is broken. Because we have sinned, the God who created us for himself is now a stranger. Our hearts ache for him, yet he is out of our reach. We spend much of our lives seeking a substitute for his love and mercy, but nothing else can take the place of an Almighty and Infinite God. And so we feel lost, unable to experience the fullness of joy and peace which our hearts were created to contain.

The Bible teaches us that what we need is salvation which is the forgiveness of our sins and the restoration of our relationship with God. Salvation is not just something we receive after we die and go to heaven, but a power already at work in our lives to transform our hearts. The Bible also teaches us that there is no other way to achieve that salvation than through Jesus Christ. Peter proclaims this boldly and clearly in today's first reading: "There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved." When we turn to Jesus and welcome him into our lives, the anxiety which burdens our hearts gives way to confidence and joy because in him we find the meaning of our lives and the pathway we are to follow.

How does Jesus go about the transformation of our hearts and our lives?

First of all, Jesus gives us a sense of identity. In him we learn that we are daughters and sons of God. This is the wonderful truth which Saint John proclaims in today's second reading: "See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are." Because of God's great love, we grow in the sense of our personal dignity and worth. We no longer allow people to use us. We no longer accept cheap substitutes for God and his love. Only the real thing is good enough for us. We no longer accept the world's standard of worth and importance. We do not measure our value by how much we make, by how many possessions we have or by what neighborhood we live in. Rather, our sense of worth comes from knowing that we are loved by God, that we are his sons and daughters.

Not only does Jesus give us a sense of identity, he also gives us a sense of direction. There is a reason that Christians are called "followers of Christ." When we have an active, loving relationship with Jesus he becomes our leader. Accepting Jesus into our lives means surrendering ourselves and our future into his hands. Jesus becomes our shepherd. We listen for his voice to direct us. We are no longer trying to do things "our way", but we look to Jesus and his word to guide our choices.

In today's gospel reading, Jesus tells us that he is the Good Shepherd and that we are his sheep. Unlike other shepherds who watch the sheep just to earn a day's pay, Jesus loves the sheep and is willing to give his life for them. He does not run away when the wolf or the thief appears. Rather, he will fight to protect them even if it means losing his life. That is why we are willing to entrust our lives to him. Even when the way he is calling us to follow is difficult. Even when the choices he is asking us to make do not seem to make any sense. At those times we remember the great love he showed us by accepting death on the cross to free us from our sins. We know that he will make everything work out for our good and that he will always protect us come what may.

There are times when we feel lost. There are times when we realize that the choices we have made have only brought us misery and pain. There are times that we just don't know what to do. At those times we must turn to Jesus with confidence and entrust our lives to him. Only by following in the way of love he marks out for us can we hope to achieve any measure of serenity and fulfillment in our lives.

Our Risen Lord and Good Shepherd will once again give himself to us in the form of bread and wine as food for our journey. At every Mass he never fails to offer himself to us just as he did when he offered his life for us on the cross. As we receive the Eucharist today, let us surrender control of our lives to him and ask him to teach us to listen for his voice. Let us ask him for the faith to leave behind the cheap substitutes for love we have been clinging to even though they have only brought us failure and disappointment. Finally, let us ask him to give us the courage to lay down our lives for others so that they too can know the joy of being counted among the sons and daughters of a loving God. 

Life In Abundance

After many years of not attending Mass and even claiming not to believe in God, a man had a powerful experience of Jesus’ presence in his life. Moved by an overwhelming sense that he was known and loved by God, he fell to his knees, gave his heart to Jesus and asked to be transformed by His love.

The experience did in fact change him radically. Because of everything that had happened to him, he could not keep the story to himself but shared it with anyone who would listen. He always ended by asking the person to do what he did - fall to his knees and give his heart to Jesus.

One of his neighbors who was an atheist was troubled by the change he had seen in his old friend. He could not understand what had gotten over him. So, one afternoon, he called out to him from over his fence and asked him to talk to him. He said to his neighbor, “For the past few weeks all you have been talking about is Jesus and how much he has done for you. I bet you don’t even know the first thing about Jesus.”

He was surprised by what his neighbor said and asked him, “What do you mean?”

“Well,” he answered, “can you tell me on what day He was born, what color His eyes were or how tall He was?”

The man thought about it for a minute and said, “Well, no I can’t.”

The neighbor then laughed and replied, “See, you don’t know anything about Jesus so you should stop talking about Him.”

Looking down on the ground for a while, the man straightened himself up and said to his neighbor, “You may be right. There may be much about Jesus that I do not know. But I do know this. When I used to come home from work, my children would hide from me out of fear. Now they run to my car to welcome me. In almost twenty years of marriage, my wife never smiled. Now she fills our house with joy and laughter. Before, I was miserable and now I am happy. Before knowing Jesus, I was as good as dead. But now I am full of life.”

Many of us know people who, as this man described himself, are as “good as dead.” Their bodies might still be alive but their spirits are dead. They are miserable, always complaining and unable to see the good in anything. They are not enjoying life but are simply going through the motions. Rather than living, they are merely existing. We all know people like this. And, if we are honest with ourselves, we may have to admit that we have been like that ourselves.

But everything changes when we come to know Jesus. The knowledge of Jesus that gives us new life is not the kind that the neighbor in the story thought was important. It is not the details of his life such as when He was born, how tall He was or what color His eyes were. Those facts might be interesting but they are not really important. The knowledge that gives us life is, rather, the knowledge that Jesus loves us just as we are. It is the knowledge that He holds out His hand in friendship to us. It is the knowledge that, if we entrust our lives into His hands, He has the power to transform us as He did the man in our story.

In today’s gospel, Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd who has come “so that [we] might have life and have it more abundantly.

How does Jesus give us a new and more abundant life? Our readings give us a clue.

First of all, as the responsorial psalm teaches us, that “He guides [us] in right paths for his name’s sake.” When we give our lives to Jesus, we allow Him to lead us. We give up control and let Him set the course which we are to travel. When we find the courage to do so we experience great relief and freedom. No longer do we wonder which path we are to follow or if the way we are on is the right one for us. We are not bound by the anxiety of wondering where the road will ultimately lead us. Rather we set our feet on the way which Jesus has already marked out for us by His word. In following His commandments, we know that we are on a path that is secure and that will lead us to eternal happiness. This gives meaning, purpose and direction to our lives and keeps us from merely going through the motions or choosing the path of least resistance.

Secondly, Jesus gives us new life by feeding us. Again, the responsorial psalm tells us that God leads us to “verdant pastures”, refreshing our souls “beside restful waters” and that He “spread[s] the table before [us].” What can all this imagery be pointing us to if not the Eucharist? Whenever we receive communion, we are being nourished by the very Body and Blood of Jesus. His love comes flooding into our hearts, reviving our drooping spirit, strengthening our resolve to do good and convincing us that we are cared for and nurtured by our Heavenly Father. Jesus promised that everyone who eats His flesh and drinks His blood will have eternal life. That promise is not only meant for the after-life but it is a reality that we can already experience today by the joy which floods our hearts, by the love we experience for our neighbor and by the peace of knowing that our lives are in the hands of a merciful and loving God.

We all experience times when we have had enough, when we are at the end of our rope, when we felt as though we could go no further. We have all had moments when love, joy and peace seemed far from us. It is at those times that we can turn to Jesus. If we commit ourselves to living in accordance with His commandments and if we take advantage of the nourishment He provides us in the sacraments, then we will experience for ourselves the abundant life He came to bring us. Not only that, but we will not be able to keep it to ourselves. Rather we will want to share it with others.

It is all ours for the asking. We merely need to approach Jesus, our Good Shepherd, and allow Him to lead us to the restful waters and verdant pastures He has prepared for us.

Sheep

When we think of sheep, we tend to think of cute, fluffy four-legged creatures. But sheep are very difficult to take care of. First of all, they are very dumb. They walk around with no idea where they are. It is not uncommon for a sheep to walk right off a cliff because it is not paying attention to where it is going. Also, sheep are slow. The shepherd has to be very patient because the sheep are in no rush to move for him. And, because they are so slow, the shepherd has to keep a sharp eye out. If a wolf were to show up, the sheep would be unable to run away. And, sheep have no fangs or claws to protect themselves. Without the shepherd, the sheep are completely helpless.

Sheep may be dumb, but they are not so dumb that they don't recognize the voice of their shepherd. They know right away when an impostor has taken his place. They get anxious and jittery. They start to scatter when someone other than their trusted shepherd has hopped over the fence to take advantage of them.

Jesus loved the image of the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep to describe His relationship with the people He came to redeem. That's because there are three things a shepherd does that Jesus also does for His people. Those three things are leading the sheep, protecting the sheep and feeding the sheep.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, leads His sheep. As Jesus says in the gospel, the Good Shepherd goes ahead of His sheep. The Good Shepherd charts the way forward for them. Just so, Jesus has shown us the path we must walk. We often talk about how Jesus reveals God to us. But Jesus, being fully human, also teaches us what it means to be truly human. No one, no matter what he or she may have accomplished, has ever lived a life more fully human than Jesus has. So, in Jesus we come to understand that living a meaningful life and living a fully human life means following our Good Shepherd.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, also protects His sheep. He knows how helpless we are without Him. He knows how easily we fall to temptation and how easily we can lose hope. He also knows how many people out there are looking to take advantage of His weak, helpless sheep. Jesus looks with love on us in our helplessness and, if we decide to follow Him, pledges to protect us from everything and everyone who can imperil our souls.

Finally, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, feeds His sheep. He brings them to lush pasture land where they can feast and fill their bellies in peace. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, knows many rich pastures. He feeds us with the banquet of His Word which emboldens our hearts and calms our fears. And He feeds us with His Body and Blood in the Eucharist, giving His very life to us and a taste of the deep intimacy He wishes to share with us. Once we have enjoyed the rich pastures of our shepherd, why would we ever want to return to the barren wastelands of selfishness?

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, leads us, protects us and feeds us. We are familiar with another gospel in which Jesus separates sheep from goats. He says to the sheep, "Come, inherit the kingdom prepared for you." When they ask, "When did we see you hungry and feed you? When did we see you thirsty, and give you drink?, Jesus replies, "Whenever you did it for the least among you, you did it for me." Today, as we reflect on Jesus' word, we might ask: "When did we see you leading us? When did we see you protecting us? When did we see you feeding us?" Jesus, two thousand years after His resurrection, leads us, protects us and feeds us through His Church. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, Jesus continues to shepherd His people, the Church. The gift of the Holy Spirit leads us to the Truth we need for our salvation. The Holy Spirit guarantees that the Church will lead us faithfully in the knowledge of God. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, Jesus also protects His people. Through the Church, we receive all the graces we need to keep us safe from sin and its corrosive effect in our souls and in our community. Finally, through the Holy Spirit, Jesus continues to feed the Church with His Word and with the sacraments, especially the Sacrament of the Eucharist. 

Whenever we talk about the Church, we are not just talking about bishops, priests, deacons and nuns. The Church is much bigger than that. When we say "Church", we mean all the people who have been baptized and believe in Jesus. We are talking about students, parents, single persons, young people, old people and babies. Jesus works through each one of us to lead, protect and feed each other. None of us can follow Jesus by ourselves, anymore than a sheep can protect itself or find food on its own. Whether we are aware of it or not, Jesus works through us whenever we reach out to help another person. And it is Jesus we are serving whenever we reach out to those in need. The gift of the Holy Spirit is working in each of us to make Jesus real and active in the world.

In a world so confused about what life is about and how to live, we hear the voice of our shepherd, Jesus, leading us, protecting us and feeding us. We do not scatter or stray because we have found peace and meaning in the fold of the Church. Soon we will leave this place where we have been fed to help Jesus seek out and save those who are lost and to lead them back to the Shepherd of their souls - Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who lays down His life for His sheep so that we can have life and have it in fullness.

The Voice Of Our Shepherd

Scientists tell us that babies develop their sense of hearing very early on. Even in the womb, a few months after conception, babies can hear and make out sounds. It is even believed that a baby can recognize his mother's voice while still in the womb. That is why many doctors encourage expectant mothers to talk to their unborn children. We sometimes see mothers rubbing their bellies and singing softly to their child in the womb. All this serves to build up the natural process of bonding that is taking place between mother and child by attuning the child to the voice of his or her mother.

During the first few weeks of the Easter season we have heard much about the sense of sight. Saint John sees the empty tomb and believes. Mary Magdalene meets Jesus in the garden and believes. Jesus shows the apostles the wounds in his hands and side, and they believe. Saint Thomas overcomes his doubts when he finally sees the Risen Lord for himself. It is by seeing Jesus that Mary Magdalene and the apostles come to faith.

Today, however, the focus is on the sense of hearing. Faith comes not only from seeing Jesus, but from hearing his voice. Jesus tells us as much in the gospel when he says, "My sheep hear my voice....I give them eternal life."

Faith which comes through hearing is a very important concept in the New Testament. Only a few believers were privileged to see Jesus with their own eyes. The vast majority of Christians - ourselves included - came to believe through our ears, not our eyes. We heard God's word, it touched our heart and we believed. We are among those whom Jesus called "blessed" because we have believed without seeing. We are the Christians who, like children whose ears are attuned to the voice of their mother in the womb, have recognized the voice of our Good Shepherd, Jesus, and decided to follow him.

During those first few weeks of Easter, when the readings focused on the sense of sight, we discussed how we can still see the Risen Lord, though in a hidden way, through the sacraments. All seven sacraments are real, life-transforming encounters with Jesus. If the sacraments are a way for us to see Jesus, then is there a way that we can hear the Risen Lord speak to us today? Is there a way that we can attune our ears to recognize and respond to the voice of our Good Shepherd?

The answer, of course, is yes! The Risen Lord continues to speak to us, his sheep, through the Bible.

As Catholic Christians we believe that the Bible, though written by men, was inspired by the Holy Spirit to such a degree that we can rightly call God its author. Because it is God's word, it is totally reliable as a source of knowledge of our Heavenly Father. It is a sure way of hearing his voice. When we proclaim the Scriptures together at Mass or when we read them to ourselves in our private prayer, it is God himself who speaks to us. When we approach the Bible with faith that it is God's word, our hearts and lives are changed.

It is for this reason that the reading of Scripture has such a prominent place at every Mass. The Bible is really the first course of this holy meal which Jesus prepares for us every week. It speaks to us of his love and willingness to forgive. It also challenges us to invite him to change those areas of our lives wherein by our actions or attitudes we are not living up to the great commandment of love. Through the Bible, Jesus, our Good Shepherd, continues to lead, nourish and console us, his sheep.

If we are to grow in our ability to recognize the voice of Jesus, we must make time everyday to read and study both the Old and New Testaments. Sometimes we can be intimidated by the Bible because it is so big and so many parts of it are difficult to understand. The best way to approach it is to remember that God has a message for us hidden in those pages. We only need to ask the Holy Spirit to guide us in our reading and to help us to understand it. No one is better at explaining a book than the one who wrote it. Since the Holy Spirit is the author of Scripture, he is the one to go to when we come across a passage which is difficult to understand. He does not want to keep his message of love a secret. So if we are patient and diligent, the meaning will become clearer and clearer with time.

Another helpful way to grow in our knowledge of the Bible is to find books that explain certain facets of Scripture such as the history of the people of Israel and the cultural background of the people of Jesus' time. Such books give us added insights that can take away some of the mystery from the places and peoples mentioned in the Bible and can make it seem less intimidating. There are also many good Catholic resources online that can help us in our study of God's word. As with any study, it takes time, dedication and effort, but the fruit it bears in deepening our faith is rewarding beyond measure.

We often say, "Seeing is believing." But for most of us, it is in hearing that we come to believe. Jesus, our Good Shepherd and Risen Lord, continues to speak to us. We are his lambs, the sheep of his flock. He loves to tell us how much he cares for us, and he longs for us to follow him. Like a child who recognizes her mother's voice even before she is born, we can attune our ears to the gentle whispers of our Good Shepherd by reading his word, the Bible, everyday. Then we will be quick to follow him whenever he calls. And we will be ready when we finally see him face to face at our judgement when he calls to us, "Come, good and faithful servant. Enter the kingdom I have prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

The Song of the Shepherd

A short Italian man, Enrico, worked as a janitor in one of the office buildings in the city of Rome, Italy. To pass the time as he washed windows, painted walls or cleaned out office rooms, he would hum the most beautiful melodies. One of the office workers approached him out of curiosity to ask where he learned to sing such melodious songs. He explained that as a boy he lived in one of the small towns in the hills surrounding Rome. His father owned some sheep and he would help bring them out to pasture. To let the sheep know that someone was close by keeping an eye on them, he and his father would hum the songs. If they ever got distracted and stopped humming, the sheep would get excited, stop eating and begin to panic. Once they began humming the songs again, the sheep would settle down and feel secure. They needed to hear the humming to know that their shepherd was nearby and that they were safe.

The author of the twenty-third psalm which we prayed together after the first reading loved to think of God as a shepherd. God was always close to him providing him with all he needed and comforting him. Because God was always by his side, he felt that nothing could make him afraid. As he writes: "Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side." Just as the sheep could graze in peace knowing their shepherd was nearby, so the sacred author of this psalm felt that God was so close to him and so protective of him that he could live in peace, confident that all would be well.

So much in life can make us panic. There are so many bills to be paid, but only so much money. There is so much work to be done, but only so much time and energy. The obligations and demands of being a parent, a student or a priest can seem overwhelming and impossible.  But within the roar of our daily activities a gently humming can be heard if we slow down long enough to notice it. Our God is always at our side giving us what we need to make it through the day. The Lord is our shepherd; there is nothing we shall want.

Do we face the difficulties of life with the confidence that God is close by? No matter how busy our schedules may be, do we take time aside to pray as Jesus and the apostles tried to do in today's gospel and listen for the voice of our shepherd? Do we trust God to lead us in paths that are right and to provide for our needs and the needs of our family?

Jesus is still among us as our shepherd. Though we can no longer see and touch him, he is very much in control of our lives leading us and protecting us. His Holy Spirit, which we received at our baptism, speaks to our hearts and assures us that he is close by. The Holy Spirit is the voice of God humming within us giving us joy and confidence as we face the challenges of life in the 21st century. We simply need to make the time each day to step out of our routine and listen for that gentle voice in the silence.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd

Manny was just seven years old when his father first brought him to the rolling fields of Portugal’s Alentejo region to work with him as a shepherd. He remembered walking along the edges of the flock making sure all the sheep were accounted for and that there were no dangers lurking. He remembers the long hours in the hot summer sun and the cold, wet winter evenings. But most of all, he remembers how seriously his father took his job as a shepherd. It was important to him that the sheep be protected and be taken care of. His father loved the sheep. Though to Manny they all looked the same,  his father could tell the sheep apart.

As he grew older, Manny saw the contrast between how his father took care of his sheep and how other shepherds treated theirs. Many times he saw other shepherds go out into the field after having spent hours drinking at the bar. He saw them yelling at the sheep and even beating them. Most often, though, the sheep were neglected being left alone in the field while the shepherds went off to chat with their friends at the fence.

His father, however, never yelled at the sheep. His gentle voice was enough to let them know that they had strayed off too far or that it was time to head back in. And he never left the sheep to talk to his friends. If someone from the village would call out to him, he would simply wave at him and go back to his business.

While they were out in the fields one afternoon, Manny asked his father why he took his job so seriously. After all, they were only a bunch of dumb sheep. His father told him that his love and care for the sheep was due to the great devotion he had to Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Whenever he would feel impatient with the sheep or get tired, he would remember Jesus’ words, “The Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” He would reflect on how much Jesus loves each of us though we so often stray from him. That would give him the strength to do his best to also nourish and protect his own flock.

Manny’s father wanted more for his son than the simple life of a country shepherd, so he made sure that he went off to the university. However, after his graduation, during his years as a businessman and then later as a husband and father, he never forgot the lessons he learned in the fields with his father. He took his inspiration from Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who teaches us that to be successful no matter what our path in life may be, we have to love totally and love freely.

The lessons that Manny learned in the field with his father are also those taught to us today by Jesus in the gospel. He holds himself out to us as the model of a love that is totally and freely given.

First of all, Jesus’ love is total and without limits. It is a love that gives of itself without counting the cost. As He tells us, “The Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” It is a love that is willing to sacrifice and to put the good of others before ones own. It is a love that is willing to suffer so that others may be comforted and to go without so that others may have what they need.

That type of love does not come naturally to us. So many times before we give we ask ourselves, “What is in it for me?” We limit our love to those who love us back or who can do something for us. If we are to rise above our human limitations and embrace a love that extends even to those who hate us, we need to first have a loving relationship with Jesus, our Good Shepherd. By reflecting on how He loves us even when we disappoint Him and push Him away, we will be given the grace to love others in the same way.

Secondly, Jesus’ love is freely given. In today’s gospel, He says, “No one takes my life from me; I lay it down freely.” Jesus did not grudgingly suffer and die for our sins. He chose to die. At any time, He could have come down from the cross, but He freely hung there so that we could have salvation and eternal life. It was a total act of unselfish love done not out of coercion but out of a free gift of self that He made for the world.

If our love is to be like Jesus’, we must give it freely, without looking for thanks or appreciation. It happens many times in families that one adult child ends up having to take care of the parents. The other children may have already left the home and started families of their own and there is no one else who is able to take care of the aging father or mother. He or she may do it out of a sense of duty to the parent or may worry about what others would say if they did not take care of them. Over the years, resentment can build up. It is a very natural and human response to having to sacrifice one’s life to care for another.

However, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, teaches us another way. Instead of feeling backed into a corner, they can make a choice every day to show the same love to their parents that was shown to them when they were growing up. They can choose to unite their sacrifice to that of Jesus on the cross and receive the grace to give of themselves. By doing so, by giving of themselves freely rather than feeling that they have no other choice, they can begin to feel freedom from the guilt and resentment that so often comes with taking care of aging parents.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, shows us the way to success by making our lives a total and freely given offering of love to others. By reflecting on the great love He showed us, we can begin to imitate it in our own lives. Then we will know true freedom, abundant joy and the blessings of peace.

(image by Marisol Sousa)

The Good Shepherd Lays Down His Life

Imagine being thrown in prison or condemned to death for your religious beliefs.

In a free, democratic society, it sounds impossible. However, in many countries around the world, fellow Christians are languishing in prison for sharing and defending their religious convictions.

Pakistan, like many other Muslim countries, makes it a crime punishable by death to defame the Islamic religion or Mohammad. Many times these anti-blasphemy laws are used to suppress religious minorities such as Christians and keep them from practicing their faith.

One man decided to face this injustice and speak out.

Shahbaz Bhatti  spent much of his life serving the people of Pakistan as an elected official.. His hard work and dedication earned him a seat on the cabinet as Minister for Minority Affairs making him the only Christian to hold such an important post. With the power and prestige of his office, he could have made a comfortable life for himself. However, he decided instead to use his influence to speak out for those imprisoned because of their religious beliefs and against the laws that put them there.

On March 2, 2011 he was shot dead in the capital city of Islamabad by terrorists.

Shahbaz Bhatti knew that by speaking out against the anti-blasphemy laws he would be killed. However, he felt a calling to stand up for his fellow Christians and to not allow fear to keep him silent. As he said in a statement taped before his death: “I believe in Jesus Christ who has given His life for us...and I am ready to die for a cause... I’m living for my community...and I will die to defend their rights.”

Following the example of Jesus and hearing His call, he laid down his life so that others might be free.

In today’s gospel, Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd who came to give life in abundance to us. He calls His sheep, and they hear His voice.

Every one of us is called by Jesus, our Good Shepherd. Each of us is chosen to provide a service uniquely our own, a service no one else can perform. Shahbaz Bhatti  was called to speak up for religious minorities suffering persecution. Most of us, however, will be called to less heroic but no less important service. We are called to raise children, to teach catechism, to witness to our co-workers, to preach the gospel and to perform many other anonymous tasks. All of them, nonetheless, contribute to spreading the Kingdom of God on earth and fulfilling the Church’s mission to proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth.

If being called means being chosen by God for some appointed service, then how do we hear God’s voice and how do we know what He is calling us to do?

There are many ways to hear God’s voice. Sometimes in prayer we will feel an urging within us pointing us in a certain direction. Other times, we will feel a restlessness driving us to take some action or promote some cause. At times people in our lives who often know us better than we know ourselves will notice our gifts and talents and invite us to consider a vocation. Many priests and religious began thinking about their vocation when a family member or parishioner said to them, “I think you would make a good priest,” or “ Have you ever considered becoming a sister?”

Each person will receive his or her calling in a different way. However, it is the same Lord who calls us according to His divine plan.

How do I know that it is really God calling me and not my own voice I am hearing?

That is a question that all Christians have struggled with. And there are no easy answers that fit every person.

However, one thing is true. We learn to hear God’s voice with time. If a desire lingers on in our hearts, if we find ourselves thinking about it constantly,  if we find ourselves being reminded of it, then it may be that God is whispering it in our ear. If it is truly the voice of God, we will continue to hear the call in some way until He gets an answer from us.

Finally, every vocation must be tested. Other people have to confirm that the call we have received truly came from God. This is clear in the vocation of marriage. If someone is called by God to be married, then there is someone else out there who is also called by God to marry him or her. Eventually they will meet each other and the call will be confirmed. However, the same is true whether one is called to be a catechist, a politician or a priest. If it is God who is truly speaking to us then others will recognize it. On the other hand, if others do not see it in us, if we try to act on the calling and it does not work out, we know that it came from our own desires and misconceptions and not from God.

Each of us is called by Jesus, the Good Shepherd, to make some contribution to the mission of His Church. Many times we fail to hear His voice because we are afraid. We fear that Jesus may ask something from us that we are not able to give. But we need never fear. Jesus is a good and gentle shepherd. He will not lead us to where we are unable to go, and He will always walk ahead of us. Though following Him always requires sacrifice, it brings with it unimaginable blessings.

Therefore, let us pray for ourselves and for our world that we may have the wisdom to recognize His voice when He calls and the courage to follow wherever He may lead. There is no greater joy than to give our lives for others after the example of our Good Shepherd for He came that we may have life and have it in abundance.