MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE

HOMILY FOR THE 4^TH SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR C

(dedicated to Chidubem, my youngest Nephew, born tonight, 11/05/2019)

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

It was from the previous Sunday that we were gradually being introduced to the topic that would form the major theme of this Sunday - the three-fold responsibility given to Peter by Jesus to feed his flock. This becomes a liturgical precedence to the Good Shepherd Sunday. That story line of the previous Sunday can then be seen as a little opening to the greater view of the Good Shepherd Sunday. The Good Shepherd cannot leave his sheep orphaned. He provides them leadership. Peter was given the role of the chief care taker of the flock to feed, to tend and to care for them. Peter would then have to labour to invite more people to this role. And so, today we join the universal Church to pray for vocations to the priesthood and the religious life that more united voices would gather to join their voices with the eternal Good Shepherd whose sheep listen to His voice. We encourage all to pray for vocations that more persons would listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd as He calls out to all. My Sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. The Gospel (John 10:27-30) began with these lovely words. 

There is this story of a young priest who wanted to do the children liturgy himself on a Good Shepherd Sunday. He had told the catechist that he would be able to do the story time and would work well with the kids. When the time came, he rushed in with his full vestments to speak to the children. He said the subject was ‘Psalm 23’. He then told the children about sheep, that they weren't smart and needed lots of guidance, and that a shepherd's job was to stay close to the sheep, protect them from wild animals and keep them from wandering off and doing dumb things that would get them hurt or killed. He pointed to the little children in the room and said that they were the sheep and needed lots of guidance. Then the young priest put his hands out to the side, palms up in a dramatic gesture, and with raised eyebrows said to the children, ‘If you are the sheep then, who is the shepherd?’ He was pretty obviously indicating himself. A silence of a few seconds followed. Then a kid said, ‘Jesus, Jesus is the shepherd.’ The young priest, obviously caught by surprise, said to the boy, ‘Well, then, who am I?’ The little boy frowned thoughtfully and then said with a shrug, ‘I guess you must be a sheep dog.’ One obvious sound that we must recognize today is that sound that tells us that Only Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

One of the ways of knowing a good shepherd in the ancient society was the unfailing response of the sheep to the calls or whistles that shepherds use. Even when several flocks were mingled overnight, there would be no problem sorting out the flocks. The shepherd would make his peculiar call and once a leader sheep begins to move, the other sheep would follow. With his peculiar call a Good shepherd should be able to  induce his flock; only his flock to follow him. Someone had talked about her experience from a local shepherding competition where the shepherds must definitely lead their sheep rather then driving the sheep from behind. At this competition, one of the challenges was for two shepherds to run with their flocks following after each of them, arranged in such a way so that the two flocks crossed paths. At the end, the winner was declared based on the one whose sheep all followed without joining the other flock. That one is regarded as the winner shepherd. This is what Jesus is: the winner shepherd whose sheep follow at the sound of his voice.

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hands. In these statements are the significant rhythm of the relationship between the Good Shepherd and the sheep. The relationship moves from mutual recognition into a reciprocal activity down to an authoritative assurance. The mutual recognition (The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice) concerns the importance of listening and knowledge of the shepherd by the flock. The ability to listen and understand the voice of the shepherd implies a great deal of relationship that exists between the shepherd and his flock. When we are able to listen to Jesus speak to us in the Scriptures and do his will in right conscience, then we are proving that mutuality which exists between us and Him. He is our Shepherd. Listening then would breed a sort of response to the one who calls us; for how can we obey if we do not listen? Thus, having listened well, obedience would follow. In this is the reciprocal action (I know them and they follow me). Discipleship comes then as the fruit of listening.

But inside this fruit of discipleship is the seed of protection (I give them eternal life, and they will never perish). As the sheep of his flock Shepherd, the Shepherd comforts us with eternal life. The Lord will strengthen us, and will protect us from the evil one (2 Thes. 3:3). We are assured of protection. Therefore, as the flock of Christ, we need to harken to the voice of God who calls on us to work for him. He still calls us in numerous ways today amidst the many voices that resounds in our society. Thus, one must usually ask oneself: whose voice do I follow? Whose standards do I emulate? These questions are very important, especially now that many loud voices shout at us today from many sources: peer pressure, pop culture, advertisements, secularism, politics, liberalism, etc. Our way then as disciples of Christ is to follow the voice of our Good Shepherd. The life of a true follower is directed by listening to the voice of the God who calls. We then need to reflect on our daily occupations to discern how the Lord calls on us to represent him there. Vocations Sunday is then an opportunity for us to reflect on our individual experiences of the Lord’s call, and to encourage others to be open to the call of God. Happy New Week; God bless you.