(Listen to this homily here).
Some of my fondest memories with my Mom and Dad are with
sports, specifically with training and racing. Both of my parents—especially my Mom—have put on many miles
biking while I run or kayaking as I swam in a lake. They’ve traveled many races to cheer me on in races,
marathons and triathlons.
What
really inspires me is that I can always pick Mom and Dad’s voice out as they
cheer me on during races. This
amazes me as I don’t know if they’re actually yelling louder than the rest of
the crowd—well, my Mom probably is—but I still hear them. It’s always a motivator hearing my
Mom’s screams and Dad’s boisterous encouragement as I’m ready to die.
Today
we continue hearing about Jesus’ role as the Good Shepherd: “My sheep hear my voice; I
know them, and they follow me.”
This is actually true with shepherds and their
flocks. Sheep and goats recognize
the voice or call of their shepherd.
You can witness this among nomadic shepherds—if different groups of goats
and sheep are intermingled, the shepherd can call, start walking away, and his
flock will follow him.
And a shepherd recognizes the voices of their sheep—much
like if you have a dog and can recognize their bark.
Praise God, we have heard the voice of our
Shepherd. That’s what brings us to
Mass on a Tuesday morning! We know
his voice. And he knows our
voices. He hears our prayers.
Hold
onto this image today as you strive to hear the voice of our Shepherd and as he
listens to yours.
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