Every morning as I walk around town I pass the Fossek farm over on Park Avenue. Lately I have noticed many sheep grazing in the field along side young lambs. Raising sheep in our country is a contrast to what was done in biblical times. Back then, sheep, belonging to several shepherds, would be penned together at night. Each morning shepherds would call their sheep. Sheep who knew the voice of its shepherd would come to the gate and follow him.
This morning we celebrate “Good Shepherd” Sunday. The novelty of Easter has faded away along with the lilies. It has been seven weeks since this pandemic began, altering our way of life and worship, preventing us from gathering together for Mass and be literally fed the Eucharist as well as visit with one another. Hopefully we are still listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd in this trying time.
Yet there are many voices in the world calling us to do otherwise. The call of these voices is enough to drown out the voice of God. There is the voice that says, “You can do this or that now. Everyone is doing that so join them.” That voice could be seducing us to ignore the voice of the good shepherd. Another voice says, “You aren’t good enough.” That voice could persuade us to ignore the good shepherd who loves us unconditionally and would never put us down.
Let’s not fool ourselves. There are predators out there trying to lure us away from Jesus Christ and his blueprint for salvation. Before they do, ask yourself, “is the happiness they promise fleeting or long lasting? Is the serenity they promise shallow or iron clad?” It is not always easy to recognize the voice of the good shepherd, but we can, provided we give ourselves the chance to listen intently. We need to find ways to improve our response to God’s voice speaking to us.
We can tell if Jesus is calling us to do something or not through our conscience. We know right from wrong. We don’t have to be moral theologians to know that people who post hurtful things about others on the Internet are doing something very wrong. Our morality isn’t derived from civil law. In some instances what is legal is immoral. Right or wrong is not verified by civil law, but by God’s law. Right or wrong is determined by an informed conscience.
Conscience is a gift imbedded in our inner being by God. A conscience committed to doing the right thing is the voice of the Good Shepherd calling us how to act. Oftentimes, there are other voices trying to persuade us to act differently whenever we need to make a moral decision, that is, a decision that impacts someone’s life. Those voices try to persuade us away from doing what is right.
Our society survives because the vast majority of peoples listen to the voice we need to follow, the voice of God. Sometimes we have to perk up our ears to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. There are so many distractions in life that we have to listen carefully to hear his voice, which is why we need to make time for daily prayer beyond just quickly mumbling a few memorized prayers.
Taking time to pray gives us the chance to listen to his voice and distinguish it from the other “shepherds,” who are actually wolves in sheep clothing, intent on seducing us into making choices that imperil our lives in more ways than one.
In the gospel, Jesus describes himself as a shepherd and as a gate. “Whoever enters through me will be saved.” He describes in one line what he will do for all who believe in him. “ I came so that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” Yes, he comes as our protection against those who try to steal our souls. He endeavors to stop others from misleading us into going down the wrong path.
Today’s gospel compels us to ponder, “Whose voice am I listening to? Is it a voice that lures me into making immoral choices, such as those that promote racism or abortion? Is it a voice that excuses me from loving others?
While false leaders are only out for their own interests, Jesus looks out for the interests of those who believe in him. Like a good shepherd, he knows each of his flock by name. He knows you. And like the gate of the sheepfold where the sheep are kept at night, Jesus guards his flock and protects them from predators. When we heed his wisdom, garnered through prayer, scripture, and the tenets of our faith, we are more apt to see the fallacy of those false voices that can lead us astray.
Martin Luther King, Jr. provided a reliable way to judge both the major and minor issues that are part of daily living. He noted, “Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’ Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it politic?’ Vanity ask the question, ‘Is it popular?’ But conscience ask the question, ‘Is it right?’”
If we succeed in doing the right and loving thing every day, we will be following the voice of the Good Shepherd who urges us to follow the golden rule principle by treating others the way we would want to be treated.
Peter offered timely advice in the first reading, “Save yourself from this corrupt generation.” This generation is no different than the one he first addressed for in every age the devil and his cohorts do their best to dissuade us from following the voice of the Good Shepherd, who left us many examples of how best to live this life if eternal life is our goal.