A Homily – The Gospel of John 10:27-30 ©

The Gospel of the Day – 2016.04.17

The Shepherd Calls

Jesus said:

‘The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice;

I know them and they follow me.

I give them eternal life;

they will never be lost

and no one will ever steal them from me.

The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone,

and no one can steal from the Father.

The Father and I are one.’

(NJB)

Hope Follows Trust as Patience Follows Love…and the God of US

The sheep do not choose the shepherd, but rather, it is the shepherd who chooses the sheep.

Jesus, the Christ, the Word of God; in whom all that is comes to be, it is to Jesus that everything belongs.

To us Christians; Jesus is the shepherd, and the Shepherd is God; God, the creator of the universe.

There is just the one shepherd; just the one sheepfold, and whether it make sense to us or not, it is to that shepherd that we all belong.

Listen for the voice of the shepherd, and do not trouble yourself with how the shepherd speaks to you, in what language, in what text, to your sister, or your brother, to your neighbors or the stranger. 

The shepherd is speaking to them to, and they are listening as they are able (or willing).

Everyone that is, everyone without exception follows in the way of God, there is no other way. Do not trouble yourself if you do not understand the journey any other person is on, God is guiding them, as God is guiding you.

If you resist, God will be patient, God will wait, as God waits for everyone. For God, Jesus, the shepherd, they are love, and love is patient; as it is kind.

God will not lose a single one of us. Neither will any one of us lose God. No matter what; God is with us, because there is not place, not a single place where God is not.

4^th Sunday of Easter