The Sheepfold and the Voice of the Shepherd

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Stone sheepfold John 10:22-30 Recently my boys have been spending a great deal of time outside in the area that will soon be transformed into our garden. They spend endless hours digging in the dirt for worms. They then promptly take those worms and throw them to the chickens. It amazes me how even chickens can learn to recognize sounds or voices. My oldest makes this funny high-pitched sound when he comes out of the house and heads toward the coop. The chickens practically fall over themselves running toward the fence or out of the coop when they hear him making his sound. They know there is food to follow! In Sunday's Gospel Jesus tells us that, "My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me." and "I am the gate for the sheep." Today, again, Jesus mentions that His sheep know His voice and follow Him.  In these few verses we learn that Jesus is both gate and shepherd for the sheep. In those days and even today in some places, a sheepfold w
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Lost and Found

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Tonight I will be giving a talk to some teens about my conversion story so today's Gospel is very fitting. Jesus tells me, through the parable of the lost sheep and lost coin, that I am very precious to Him.

I was lost. I had stopped attending Mass and even believing in God for nearly 10 years when He finally found me and carried me back home. I know that there was "joy before the angels of God" when I came back. I also know that that joy has been expressed many other times as I have grown closer to Christ through the years.

As I prepare for this talk tonight and read this Gospel I am reminded that as a disciple of Christ, I am to do what He has done. I too am to seek out the lost sheep that have wandered from the flock. I too am to search for the lost coin that has rolled across the floor of life into some dark corner. I hope and pray that tonight God will work, through my words, on a young person's heart.

We all know someone who is "lost", someone who is in darkness at this time. They may not want to be found but they need help. If you or I can't "find" them or bring them out of this darkness we can at least pray for them. St. James tells us that, "The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects." Our prayer for them opens a flood gate of grace from the Heart of Jesus allowing them to be more easily and quickly found. When this happens, you and I, along with the angels, can rejoice.

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