Likely, we’ve all heard the phrase “until the cows come home.” This is a very true statement, since the cows very rarely do this sort of thing. Yet, there are a few things that will make them come home- some at your control, and others were not. One that was very much under our control though was the sound of my dad’s voice. It was always incredible to watch. Dad would go out a short distance into the field, he would call towards them a few times, and then wait. Within a few short minutes, the cows would start to respond, and eventually appear on the horizon all coming towards the house, looking for where dad’s voice had come from, and whether he had perhaps put out some feed or mineral when he had come out to the field.
To be clear, this had to be dad’s voice. It couldn’t necessarily be any of the rest of us, simply because they somehow knew. It always had to be his voice, and no other voice would bring them running in like his would. They just knew his voice.
One of the questions I have often answered myself, whether it is in a public setting, or even in school while teaching is “what does God’s voice sound like?” To be honest, this is a hard question to answer, because we are always listening with our ears, and typically waiting for that particular sound to hit them. However, the reality is that it isn’t a voice much like we might expect. Yet, why is that voice so important right here and right now? What does it mean for us as a people who follow our Lord and our God?
The first reading continues the same track as we have been on for the last few weeks. Yet, this one continues the same preaching that Peter was doing in speaking to the house of Israel. He hasn’t been mincing words for quite some time, and yet, here, he continues to double down on what has happened. Peter tells them “God made both Lord and Christ this Jesus whom you crucified.” He has been speaking to them of this reality for some time, and yet, they are finally picking up on what he is saying- that they have put Jesus to death- and He was this person that they had been waiting on for so long to come to them. So, the reading tells us that “when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and asked what to do.” Truly, they heard what he was laying out for them.
Peter gives them a simple response: “repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ.” He makes it clear that there are two things at play- that there is forgiveness, but there is also life available. Peter continues and emphasizes the promise that was made to them- and to all who are considered “far off” that the Lord has called them. He continued to exhort them and to call them up to be baptized- and we are told that they see results. About three thousand persons were added to the Church that day. This was an unprecedented event!
The second reading continues following the first letter from Peter. This reading, as a whole, builds up a parallel between Christ own actions and our actions. He tells them: “If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God.” He continues laying out for them that they have been called- because Christ suffered for them- and left an example to follow in His footsteps. So in the midst of suffering, there is a calling that is laid out in the midst of that trial to boldly step forward and to endure whatever comes their way. Yet, Peter doesn’t leave it there either. He continues- “when he was insulted, he returned no insult” or “when he suffered, he did not threaten,” instead he handed himself over to the one who judges justly. He bore the weight of sins, and because of this, we are able to live for righteousness. So, we have returned to the Shepherd- the one who is the guardian of our souls. Peter lays it out very clearly that we are a people called to go after Jesus’s own example, because of what He gains for us.
Finally we arrive at the Gospel according to John. This Gospel pushes a very simple idea- relationship with Jesus Christ- and He uses the analogy of a shepherd. He tells them that whoever does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. Whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd. He continues and expounds upon this idea. The gatekeeper opens the way for the shepherd, and the sheep hear his voice, and they, as they are called by name, follow him out. They will not follow a stranger, because they do not recognize his voice. To further emphasize the point that He was relating- John reports that the Pharisees didn’t get it. So Jesus continues on- He is the gate for the sheep- all who came before are thieves and robbers- but the sheep did not listen to them. So, eventually He draws out another analogy- that He is the gate- and whoever enters through Him will be saved. He came so that we might have life, and have it abundantly.
He came so that we might have life abundantly.
If we walk back a little in this reading- notice something important- it highlights and emphasizes the voice of the one calling- that it has to be the right one for the sheep to follow. The sheep, as the Lord sees it, are going to follow only the good shepherd! So, He draws out this idea, not arbitrarily but because He is in fact the Shepherd who calls.
Yet, there is an important question that underlies all of this- are we listening to the voice and to the call of the Lord? Are we open to what He is saying to each of us? If we hear what He is telling us first, we have to be careful to listen. We need ears that are made open. If we are not even paying attention or yearning to hear anything, we may miss it. What’s worse is that so often our ears are drowning with all sorts of different things that are competing for our attention. Often we may have our ears blocked by resentment, by anger, by frustration, or simply by the things that are going on in our lives!
Second, once we get our ears opened- whose voice are we listening to? In broad strokes, there are two voices that we can be listening to. We can listen to the voice of God. Or we can listen to the voice of the accuser. The voice of the accuser is so often very strong that it tends to drive us away from the voices that we should hear. It tells us how terrible we are, how hard the life of a Christian is, or how impossible it is to get in heaven, or even that we are not doing good enough to get in. Or, what’s worse, we can even listen to that voice just because it tells us things that seem to cause us comfort but in reality leave us wanting. Are we listening for the voice of the shepherd- the voice of Christ Himself?
Finally, when we hear that voice- what is it telling us to do? In the first reading, we hear Peter telling of the first option- a need for repentance and conversion. Each of us likely have smaller or greater ways where we are struggling to follow God to the fullest extent that we should. We may hear His voice not calling out angrily at us, but instead coaxing us forward to a better way of life. Perhaps He is leading us to better pastures. Or perhaps we find the second reading to ring more true. Perhaps we feel that we are in places where we suffer for doing what is good or what is right. For being a Christian. For standing up for what is right. For holding to the Gospel truth. Perhaps because of these things- we find ourselves suffering in a variety of ways! The voice of Jesus may be there telling us something simple- “follow me.” Perhaps it is gently coaxing us forward to be more bold, even when life gives us more than we can handle, and makes it all too difficult to bear!
Brothers and sisters, we are given so many different voices and so many different things to hear in this life. Some things are good and some are not. Yet, much like on the farm- there is only one voice we need to listen to. Let us train our ears on Christ to hear His voice and how it calls us forward into taking up His example in a world that is so hard of hearing.
May we be as those who hear His voice, and respond accordingly.
