The Good Shepherd: Sound, Shelter, Sensibility (2017-05-07)

Sunday May 7, 2017 /  4^th Sunday Easter 

Title: “The Good Shepherd – Sound, Shelter, Sensibility”

[__01__]    Speaking out loud, a shepherd – in a green field – a green pasture – makes his voice heard and known to the flock, to the sheep. 

          Jesus reminds us that the sheep do not follow a stranger. They do not follow of the voice of just anyone. That is, the sheep of the flock discern, know, recognize their shepherd – their good shepherd – by SOUND, by SHELTER, and by SENSIBILITY.

            SOUND, SHELTER, SENSIBILITY. These 3 things will help us to find what we 

want… or what we need …or what we may think we want.

[__02__]    Jesus is the good shepherd because of these 3 attributes, these 3 qualities.

          First, SOUND.

          If we are going to follow a person or find a person, SOUND is very important.

          I have noticed, for example, that there is one sure-fire way to figure out whether a person is nearby or present.  Sometimes, we go searching for a person, wondering…hey, did they leave already ? are you still here?

          We look for clues, hints.

Is the person still at home, in the building.   A clue could be a jacket on the chair, a knapsack at the desk, a care in the parking lot But a definite clue is sound, ring tone…

          Is the person’s phone, cell phone, iPhone … still here? This is a clue of SOUND …. We know that people tend not to go very far without their phones. If your phone is still here, then you are still here.

[__03__]     SOUND leads us.  Sometimes, sound leads us on the right paths… to green pastures.

          Sometimes, sound leads us astray.

          For example, sometimes, we are attracted to a person because he or she talks a great deal…or because he or she already is very popular, has many friends.

          It’s not a bad to thing to talk, or to have friends.

          However, Jesus – as our shepherd wants us to follow him not based on loudness … but also based on the depth of his message.

          And, isn’t it true that we have made good friendships with people not simply because the other person was loud or popular?

[__04__]     Jesus is also the good shepherd because he provides SHELTER, protection, guard…he leads us to green pastures.

          And, are we not attracted – logically – to those who can protect us, or to things that an protect us.

          We want the device or computer with the best security.

          We also expect of our friends, confidentiality, that they can keep a secret …

          This is shelter.

          But, “shelter” does not necessarily mean that we are comfortable.

          A friend will also be loving enough to tell us when we are wrong.

          A mother or father will also be kind enough to correct and teach a child.

          A spouse will be affectionate enough to tell the other person what the family really needs.

          And, this is SHELTER, this is the green pasture.

[__05__]     And, Jesus is the good shepherd because he is SENSIBLE.

          St. Paul reminds us, nevertheless, that the SENSIBILTY or the LOGIC of God is not the same as the LOGIC or REASON of other people.

          St. Paul writes in 1^st Corinthians:

“Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world, by wisdom, knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of our preaching, to save them that believe. For both the Jews require signs, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumbling block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness: But unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”  (1 Corinthians 1:20-25)

          At times, we are “foolish” in the view or perspective of others. We may be truly wise.

[__06__]    How is the Lord our God SENSIBLE … ?

          In the letter of St. James, we read this instruction, “let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger …”  (James 1:19)

          In order for you and I to use our minds …our brains ..and our hearts … we are called to listen first.  This is sometimes difficult.

          Maybe we experience difficulty or injustice, then we are tempted to speak out. Perhaps, we have been told by our teachers or mothers or fathers – “act … don’t react.”  In other words, we may be called to take action but we do not have to respond to every thing a person does or says.

          “Listening” before speaking is an action, a faithful, loving action. It helps us to speak.

          Jesus is the Good Shepherd not only because he is speaking to us, but also because he is listening to God the Father and Holy Spirit.

          As parents, teachers, and for all those who take care of our children, we are also called to conversation with God so that we can speak….that we can hear his SOUND, experience his SHELTER and know that God is SENSIBLE… loving… and to help us to know our true desires and God's desires for us, what is needed, wanted.

          The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.

 [__fin__]