Saturday, May 2, 2020

4th Sunday of Easter, Year A, 03.05.2020

Acts 2:14, 36-41 / 1 Peter 2:20-25 / John 10:1-10

As we are now having daily meetings, conferences, lessons and interactions with others over our computers and laptops, we should have discovered by now, how important audio and video devices are in our computers and laptops.

It is difficult to say which is more important, the audio or the video, but the picture without the sound makes little sense, while the sound without the picture, we can still comprehend. 

But of course, if the computer or laptop has no sound or picture then its time may have come to an end. 

What we may be aware of is that there is a microphone, or the absence of it, in our computers or laptops. 

And we know that the microphone is either missing or not working well when the other person on the screen gives us strange looks and then tells us that they can’t hear us or that we have muted our microphones. 

Oh yes, these days we are learning a lot more about how computers and laptops work, especially in the channels of communication. 

As much as seeing is exciting, listening gives rise to imagining and we picture in our minds what we are hearing and even images of people and places begin to form in our minds. 

As we read the gospel about what Jesus said, the images that come to our minds might be the shepherd leading his flock of sheep. 

Whatever we know about shepherd and sheep, we get the picture that the shepherd goes ahead of his sheep and the sheep follow the shepherd because they know his voice. 

And the sheep never follow a stranger because they don’t recognize the voice of strangers.

As we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, we also celebrate Vocations Sunday.

Vocations Sunday is a reminder that the Lord Jesus is calling those whom He has chosen to serve Him and the People of God in a special way, and that is, in the priesthood and the religious life.

Yes, Jesus our Good Shepherd calls out to those whom He has chosen, and He says that the harvest is rich but the labourers are few.

So this is a call-out to those who are hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd. He calls out to you whom He has chosen for a special vocation and a special mission.

He calls out to you, and He speaks heart-to-heart with you.

Amidst the anxieties and worries of life, and all the other voices in the world, when we hear the voice of the Good Shepherd and listen to His call, we will have peace of heart.

Yes, it is a peace that the world cannot give. It is a peace that is given heart-to-heart.

So if the Lord Jesus is calling you, may you listen, may you respond, and you will be blessed with a peace that comes only from the Lord Jesus, our Good Shepherd.

When we listen to the voice of our Good Shepherd, He will lead us through the valley of darkness and into the green pastures of light and life.