Acts 13:14, 43-52 / Apocalypse 7:9, 14-17 / John10:27-30
In a world of sights and sounds, the combination of audio and visual is a powerful form of communication to catch the attention.
So whether it is advertisement or entertainment, for presentation or for relaxation, the audio and video will create an impact.
One without the other may not have the full effect as compared to the combination of both. But it also depends on the situation.
If we see the boss, and we cannot detour, then it would be better if he doesn’t say anything to us. Because if we were to see him and he says to us, “I want to talk to you” then it may not be sweet talk.
Or if we see the priest coming our way, he may not say anything, but we will tell our children “Father is coming, don’t be naughty.”
So sometimes, only the visual will do, no need for the audio.
But at other times, the audio is more effective than the video. Babies may be sound asleep with people around talking, but they will wake up when the mother calls out to them.
And even our pet dogs. They respond to our voice when we call out to them. Dogs as we know have a keen sense of hearing. That’s our experience.
In the gospel, Jesus said, “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.”
We don’t know much about sheep and shepherds. But when we do some reading up, what we will come to know is that sheep have a keen sense of hearing. They know the shepherd, not so much by sight (they seem to have poor eyesight) but by the voice of their shepherd.
It is said that three flocks of sheep may be mingled together and there is no distinction as to which sheep belongs to which flock.
But when the time comes to separate them, the shepherd of each flock calls out to the sheep and the sheep will follow the respective shepherd.
So when Jesus said “the sheep that belong to me listen to my voice” He is talking about an experiential reality.
But for us who have no experience of sheep and shepherds, then this background information will be certainly helpful.
An interesting question at this point is that will a sheep ever follow another shepherd? A shepherd’s answer to this is that it is not likely that a sheep will follow another shepherd, unless it is sick, then it will follow anything that moves. And because of its poor eyesight it does not really know what it is following.
And that’s why Jesus said that the sheep that belongs to Him listen to His voice. Jesus calls us His sheep. So where is His voice, and how do we listen to His voice?
Today is also Vocation Sunday, and we also celebrate Mother’s Day. Vocation Sunday is about the promotion of priestly vocations, and Mother’s Day is linked to it in a profound way.
But just as babies respond to their mother’s voice, mothers have a deep influence over their children in what they say to them.
Mothers say a lot to their children (some call it nagging) and at times mothers don’t think that their children are listening.
But the children are listening and we bear testimony to that whenever we say “my mother once told me…”
So the mother’s mission is to be the voice of Jesus to her children, to do the right and just and the good thing.
The mother has to be the voice of Jesus to lead them to Jesus and to teach them to follow Jesus. And mothers can also consider saying this to their children: “if God wants you to be a priest or religious, then think about it”.
My mother didn’t tell me to be a priest when I was young. She only told me to say my prayers and study hard, the two things which I didn’t like to do.
But she prayed for me, and her words were prophetic enough. Because when I was in the Seminary I had to study real hard, and when I became a priest, I had to pray real hard.
So mothers, keep the faith and be the voice of Jesus to your children. Teach them to pray and to always do what is right and just and good.
For your children will remember what you tell them, and if they ever become a priest or a religious, your blessings will be great, on earth as in heaven