The average American is bombarded
by over 5,000 messages in a single day.
Television, radio, internet, cell phone, signs, public address systems,
etc. all pour out messages – invading our peace and quiet – over stimulating
our senses – fighting for our attention - in an attempt to convince, persuade,
inform, sell – products, ideas, philosophies, lifestyles and every other thing.
In every direction we look, in
every way we turn our ears – even our noses are assaulted with messages - ever
walk in the mall and smell the cookies baking?
Someone is trying to get us to hear their “voice” – trying to get us to
pay attention to them – trying to communicate to us – their message.
In simpler, quieter times, shepherds
would gather their flocks together in the evening for mutual protection and
support. They would take turns watching
over the several flocks gathered together while the other shepherds ate and
slept through the night. In the morning
they would each go off with their sheep to separate pastures.
Now, sheep have poor organization
skills. During the night they would
wander around; mingling together with sheep of other flocks, so that in the
morning who could tell one’s sheep from another? But the shepherds only had to call out to
their sheep and each one’s own flock would follow his voice and separate from
the other sheep; going off together with their shepherd. That’s a pretty nifty thing, don’t you think?
Being a shepherd is a very lonely
job. So, shepherds talk to their sheep all day long, singing to them, calling
out to them, bringing them to good pastures, as they protect them from
predators and the elements that would harm them. Sheep completely rely on the shepherd for
their very lives. When they get tangled
up in the brush, he rescues them. When they wander off, the shepherd searches
for them and bring them back into the security of the flock, under his
protection. The sheep belong to the
shepherd – they are his own and he spends his life caring for them.
We too have a Good Shepherd –
Jesus. His is the Voice we know, the
Voice of God – the voice we listen to and follow - the Word made Flesh. He watches over His flock, given to him by
the Father. He spent his life for
us. We are his sheep, the flock He
watches over. We hear His voice and
follow because we know He loves us and cares for us. He is our protector and guide. He leads us to green pastures and beside
still waters – He rescues us and searches for us when we are lost, alone and
afraid. He calls us back into His peace,
safety – to live with him forever.
We are His forever. Even after he returned to the Father, he
commissioned Peter to: “feed my sheep, tend my flock (and) feed my lambs.” He sent the Holy Spirit into the world to
guide us and lift us up, so that we might be comforted. Jesus continues today to watch over us, care
for our needs and brings us into life eternal in heaven with the Father.
He brought us the Good News of the
Eternal Kingdom and love of God, the Father and asks us to continue bringing
that same Good News to one another and all future generations. Despite hardships and persecutions, He brings
us joy and peace as we hear His Voice and follow him for we know that Jesus
continues to be our Good Shepherd; calling his sheep together – in His Church,
- by His Word, - through His people – into the peace and love of God forever
and ever.
~Amen
Peace,
Deacon Don Ron
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