Today is known as Good Shepherd Sunday, when we reflect on Jesus as the one we are called to listen to and follow.

Think about the role of a shepherd. In ancient times, shepherds were responsible for leading their flock to fresh pastures and water, ensuring their safety from predators. That role no longer exists in today’s world. We have fences and water tanks to help protect and feed and water the sheep. In ancient times, the shepherd was constantly with his flock, and they knew his voice. When he moved, they heard his voice and followed him. Today, we have dogs that move the sheep by running behind them, chasing them in the direction they want them to go. A good shepherd leads his sheep, not moving them from behind.

There are many images of Jesus as a Shepherd. The images show the flock of sheep following him. Some of the sheep are even looking at him. And in almost all these images, Jesus has a small lamb in his arms or over his shoulders. 

In the Gospel, Jesus says: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” There is so much to reflect upon in this short passage. To sum it up in one word, I would say relationship. Christianity is all about a relationship with someone, and the someone is Jesus. To have a relationship with anyone, requires you to spend time with them, hearing their voice and listening to them. Talking with them. Trusting and believing in them.

Jesus says he knows his sheep. There is a difference between knowing “of” someone and knowing “about” someone. If we know of someone, we have heard their name before, but we don’t have deep knowledge. We know they lived but we don’t know much beyond that.

 “Know about” implies a deeper understanding or familiarity with the person. In Jesus case, he knows about us. He knows everything about us. He knows our joys, our struggles, our fears and our desires. 

The question for each of us is: do we know “about” Jesus or just “of” him? We know the facts about him, which is good and important, but knowing about Him is a more personal relationship. It requires time, effort, trust, faith, humility and surrender. It is when we know about Jesus that we come to love and trust in him. Loving is an action, not a feeling. It’s more the act of the will.

When we know Jesus, we trust in him, and when we trust in him, we follow him. Just like the Apostles in our first reading, they knew Jesus first-hand. They heard his voice; they believed and followed him. Then they went out to proclaim the Gospel to everyone.  That is our mission as well. Can it be hard, sure, but if we don’t overthink it and understand not everyone will want to listen, we can do it. Even the Apostles had people who would not listen and actively worked against them. So, they left for another town. 

We know that God loves everyone and wants them all to be saved. But not everyone loves God in return. Because they do not know about God, usually by their own choice, they are not part of the flock to whom Jesus says he gives eternal life. 

To have that personal relationship we need to listen to the voice of Jesus – not just hearing it but listening to it. It can be hard to do in today’s culture because there is so much noise that constantly distracts us from the voice of Jesus. Every new app, TV show, podcast, movie, book, or sporting activity can be another distraction. 

Not all of them are bad, but when we prefer them over the voice of Jesus, we lose the opportunity to know more about him.  We can get so used to the noise that without it, we feel uneasy. 

So how can we hear and listen to the voice of God? One way is through the readings. To hear what God is revealing to us through the Old and New Testaments. Each Sunday we have a different set of readings allowing us to know more about God and His Son, Jesus. 

Once we hear them, we need to take time to reflect on them. Looking for a word or phrase that resonates and then asking God what He wants us to know about him in these words. 

Silence is another way where we can hear the voice of God. Just being still, clearing your mind, and saying: “please speak to me Lord, I’m listening.” You can do this anywhere, but the best place is in Jesus’ presence in an adoration chapel. 

The more time you spend listening, you will be able to discern, through your conscience, the voice of God versus the voice of others. You will grow in your knowledge about God, not just of him. Your relationship with Him will strengthen and deepen. You will feel His love for you and hopefully the peace that comes from his love. As faithful followers, we hope for what we heard today from the book of Revelation. “For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes”. (Rev.7 7:17)