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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Why Judas?

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Monday of Holy Week

Jesus spent the night in prayer.  He spent this time alone, conversing with His Father and I believe we are to assume that this prayer, this conversation, concerned who would be chosen as Christ's Apostles.  The entire night in prayer and yet He still picks Judas Iscariot.  Why?  Isn't He God?  Doesn't this show that Jesus was not omnipotent?  If He were God, why would He choose the very man who would betray Him as an Apostle?

This is a question that has bothered me throughout the years.  I don't claim to have an answer and I am open to your insight as well.  I do have an idea about this and I'll try to flesh it out here.

God, in His omnipotence can see every possible outcome of human and natural events to the nth degree.  Like looking at branches of lightning that light up the sky in every direction, He can see every possible scenario of my daily life.  He can see every possible outcome that could result from me getting up late.  He can view with complete clarity all the infinite results of each of my actions.  He foresees not only my choice to log on to a website years ago but also the marriage and children that resulted from meeting that girl on that website and their children and their choices....He can see it all.  However, even though God sees it all, He continues to respect my freewill.

As a father I can begin to see some of the choices and opportunities that lie ahead for my children based on their abilities, temperaments, and gifts.  I can hope that they choose a holy path.  I can pray that they choose to serve the Lord in whatever they do.  I can teach them the ways they should follow.  However, I cannot violate their freewill.  I cannot make them choose a path.

Jesus saw that Judas could very well betray Him, He choose him anyway.  He respected his freewill enough to maybe even hope that it would be done another way.  I refuse to believe, as some do, that God destined Judas to betray Jesus.  This would go against scripture because God wills that all should be saved (cf 1 Tim 2:4).  He wills it but He respects our freewill, our ability to reject His will.

Is Judas in Heaven?  I pray that he is.  I pray that one day we will sing of him as we do of Adam, "O Happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a redeemer."

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