COMPETING VOICES

This Sunday is called "Good Shepherd Sunday" because all the readings present the figure of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. 

In order to understand the few gospel verses given below, let
me offer a little bit of background.

 At the time of Jesus, shepherds would bring their flocks in the evening into a common corral or “sheepfold.“ This was constructed of stone walls and one opening. This opening would either be equipped with a gate or a shepherd would lie down across the opening at night. In the morning each shepherd would come to get his flock. He would stand at the opening and call his sheep, even by name. They would recognize the sound of his voice and come to follow him out to pasture. The other sheep in the sheepfold would not follow because they didn’t recognize that shepherd‘s voice.

Here are some verses from today’s gospel:

The gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd. “The keeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him because they do not recognize the voice of strangers. (Jn 10: )

This image is about listening to the right voice and ignoring any other voices. Remember that Jesus calls himself the “Good Shepherd,“ in contrast to the “Bad Shepherds“ that the Jews had experienced. 

LISTEN TO THE RIGHT VOICE

There are bad shepherds calling to us all the time, promising pleasure, wealth, power, prestige, and so on. Jesus warns us not to listen to those voices, because they lead us not to good pastures but to danger and unhappiness.

The oration in the old breviary for this Sunday we have This phrase: “Lord, give us minds open to hearing your voice.“

What is the voice of the good Shepherd asking of you today? What does it mean for you to follow him? The answer is different for each of us, but we know that it will mean following our Savior with a life of meekness, generosity, humility, and self-sacrificing love. Our Good Shepherd warns us, though, about those other voices that call to us and that seem to offer much more pleasant alternatives than the one that Jesus offers.

This Sunday offers a great opportunity for us to pray to our Good Shepherd, asking for the gift of a listening heart to hear his voice, and a strong will so that we can follow it faithfully.

While you're at it, how about praying for all those whom Christ is calling to the priesthood or the religious life?

Jesus, our Shepherd, help us to listen to your voice!