Fourth Sunday of Easter (Jn. 10:27-30) “Mom’s Voice-Jesus’ Voice”
Fourth Sunday of Easter (Jn. 10:27-30) “Mom’s Voice-Jesus’ Voice”
A mother’s voice is an important voice. We have a special connection with that voice which is hard to explain.
When I was a teen, I worked with my uncle and grandfather on the farm during summer vacations. I learned a lot about animals. On the farm there were cattle, hogs and a horse. On surrounding farms were sheep and chickens. One of the things that struck me was the bond between a mother animal and their offspring. I remember being in a barnyard with dozens of piglets running around that belonged to numerous sows. If one pig squealed because they were in pain for some reason, the mother of that pig would come running to see what was wrong. You did not want to get in between that 400-pound sow and her baby. Multiple sows were there, but only the mother of the pig in trouble would react. I was amazed that the mother could pick out the voice of her piglet amid all the noise in the farmyard.
I was also aware of the cows, who are out in the field, and the strong bond they had with their calves. If you approached the herd, you might be seen as a threat. The cows would all start to moo. The cows were calling their calves. The calves would run to their mothers. The cows could pick out the voice of their offspring. Once again, you didn’t want to get in between a mother and calf.
Human beings are no different. When I was a youngster each child in the neighborhood knew their mother’s voice. On summer days we would go out to play. Perhaps we would be told to be back at a certain time for supper. At about 5 pm, the mothers of the neighborhood would call out to their children to come in for a meal. If it was somebody else’s parent, you wouldn’t pay attention. But if it was your mother who was calling to you it was different. If your mother was irritated because you weren’t coming right away, then you responded. If your Dad started to call out as well then you better respond quickly or there would be a price to pay. You recognized your parents’ voices.
Jesus refers to this common human experience as he proclaims his Good Shepherd meditation in the Gospel of John. “My sheep know my voice and they follow me.” Shepherding in the Middle East has a different dynamic than in western countries. When we think of shepherding in the west, we think of sheep being out in a pasture with a fence around it. We picture sending out dogs to herd the sheep. The dogs nip at the heels of the sheep. The sheep are forced to follow the direction of the shepherd. Fear of punishment is the overriding motivation.
In the Middle East this isn’t the dynamic. Sheep having a personal bound with the shepherd. Each lamb is given a name. Even if the sheep are mixed with other flocks the shepherd can call them. The sheep will separate to follow where their owner’s lead. There aren’t a lot of fences. Nor are there many dogs. The sheep trust the shepherd. When the shepherd calls the sheep respond. A mother’s voice and the shepherds voice evoke a similar response.
The spiritual question for all of us Christians is how we will be able to recognize the Good Shepherd’s voice? How will we respond? We have a lot of competing voices claiming to be the voice of God. The reality is that these voices don’t proclaim the same message. How do we know the difference?
Once again, I think of my mother this weekend. She was always seeking to discern Christ’s voice. She sought the voice of Jesus in various ways. The primary way was through personal prayer. My mother would pray daily. Her preferred prayer was the rosary. But she would also read scripture. She was a student of life. She could be judgmental, but ultimately, she was empathetic. She had many who looked to her for compassion. She seldom said no when there was a cry for help. My Mother also sought Christ’s voice by attending Mass often. Later in life this was a daily habit. She loved the liturgical year, the ebb and flow of it. My mother, although, not well educated, sought opportunities to learn about her faith. When the documents of Vatican II were printed, she read them thoroughly. She taught me how to seek the voice of Jesus. She would probably admit that, at times, she paid attention to the wrong voices. Most often, because of how she lived her faith, she got it right.
The main key for discerning Jesus’ voice is to be open to that voice, to be willing to say I need to listen some more. I know there are things that I haven’t heard. If we operate with humility, we will follow the Good Shepherd where he leads. We start by having a hunger for what is good and right.
Reflection Questions:
- What was special about your mother’s voice? How did I respond to that voice?
- What is the key to recognizing Jesus’ voice? Why do I need to listen to it today?
Dear Parishioners,
New construction has begun. We are finishing our new WEB page. It should be finished soon. The WEB page is often the front porch of the parish. In the modern world, this is often people’s first impression of Sacred Heart. Our current page was geared more for laptops. The new format will work better on cell phones. Another aspect to the new page will be an opportunity to advertise. Our page has thousands of hits over the course of a week and then posts are passed around. This is a wonderful way to publicize information out about your products and services. We hope to defray the cost of the upkeep of our site. If you are interested in advertising, please call Melissa Hoffman at our office.
The second bit of construction news is that we will begin moving earth the first week of June. This will mean that the east parking lot and the east door will not be available for six months. It will not be convenient, but after everything should be a lot more convenient. I plead for your patience.
If you are in Genesis Hospital and want to be visited by a priest, please call our office. Fr. Matthew or I would be glad to come. The hospital no longer informs us about parishioners in the hospital. Sometimes they will send us an email after a person has checked out. I don’t know the logic in this, but that is the way it is. The message is this, we want you to call us if you are in Genesis Hospital and would like a pastoral visit. We can’t come if we don’t know you or a loved one is sick.
May Our Lady Peace pray for us,
Fr. Mark