THE GOOD SHEPHERD AND THE GOOD SHEEP

 

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Good Shepherd Sunday and the World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Acts 13: 14. 43 – 52 / Ps 100 / Rv 7:9. 14b – 17 / Jn 10: 27 – 30

What is your status in life? A status is your official position in a social group. That is why in our society, some are married. Some are single for a period of time while others are single forever and ever. To those who are neither married nor single, they would just say, “It’s complicated!”

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. Let us no longer debate whether Jesus is a Good Shepherd or not. Rather, let us reflect on our status as the sheep of the Good Shepherd. Let us ask ourselves, “Am I a good sheep?” “Am I faithful to my status as a sheep of the Lord?” Jesus in our Gospel presents to us three qualities of a good sheep. “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” To listen, to know, and to follow the Good shepherd make us his good sheep.

“My sheep hear my voice.”

It is very difficult to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd today because the world is noisy. From the rising of the sun to its setting, we hear a lot of voices. However, to be a good sheep means being able to listen to the voice of the shepherd in prayer. Benedict XVI once reminded us that “only in silence is God revealed in our lives.” Thus, it is important that in our prayer we must allow God to speak so that we can listen to His voice. And so, let me ask you, “do you still pray?” “How often do you pray?” “And when you pray, do you allow God to speak to you?”

“I know them.”

There is no question about God knowing us. But do we know him? St. Paul reminds us that “faith comes through hearing.” Therefore, when we listen to God in prayer, then, we are also knowing who he is in our lives. It is important to know God because St. Augustine reminds us that “we cannot love that which you do not know.”

“They follow me.”

We live in a world of concrete and not abstract realities. And so, our knowledge about God must have a flesh. It must be seen in our lives. Thus, if we know that God is loving, then be loving. If we know that God is generous, then be generous. If you have not known God then you have not yet loved him.

Today is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. A vocation is different from a status. As I mentioned earlier, a status is your official position in a particular society. However, a vocation is your path to holiness. That is why to be a blessed single, to be married, or to be a priest or religious is your way to holiness. And you can only achieve holiness if you listen, know, and follow the way of the Good Shepherd.

A priest once shared with me the story of her former teacher. Mam Rose was a manager of the finance department of a big hospital in the city. She was so dedicated to her work that everything must be perfect for her. Since, she was working in the hospital, she was also able to meet and listen to the stories of the patients. Learning a lot from her stories, she came to a point wherein she slowly let go of her status as the finance manager and eventually ended being a volunteer in the chaplain’s office. Since she was already a volunteer, then, it came to a point that she was already begging for funds from other people. Indeed, it was a 360^O turn of her life. When asked about her present life she said these words. “When I was a finance manager, I had everything. I can buy anything. However, when I volunteered in the chaplain’s office, I can no longer have everything. I cannot buy anything. But I was happier than before.”

Mam Rose did not only change her status. Mam Rose lived well her chosen vocation. She heard God through the patients. She knew about God through the patients. She followed God by serving the patients. And such kind of life made her happy. Indeed, she was a good sheep.

What is your vocation in life? Have you lived well your chosen vocation? Have you listened, known, and followed the Lord through your vocation? Are you a good sheep? Or are you a ba-ba-black sheep? Amen!