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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Do not stumble...

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I read a quote yesterday that sums up today's Mass readings.  The quote was something to the effect of "Do not stumble on something that is behind you."

How often do we do this?  How often do we let the things in our past affect our present and therefore our future?  The devil brings to mind our past sins and failings as tool to keep us from doing good now and in the days or years to come.  He loves to use that which caused us to stumble before as a way to either make us stumble again or at least create a road-block in our life.

In today's Mass readings God tells us, "Do not stumble on something that is behind you."  Through the Prophet Isaiah we are reminded that God is in charge.  It is He who casts our enemies into the sea, drowning them in the waters of our Baptism.  God says, "Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new."  See, He is doing something new in your life.  He cannot do that if you insist on stumbling on something that is behind you.  Remember not the events of the past.

In St. Paul's letter to the Philippians God says the same, He gives us the same message - Do not stumble on something that is behind you.  God says, through Paul, "Just one thing; forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal..."  Our brother Paul too encourages us to leave what is behind us,behind us.  The goal is Heaven.  Jesus said the way is difficult enough without us adding our own stumbling blocks.  We must strive constantly toward that goal careful not to stumble on something behind us.

Finally, in the Gospel, God tells us, through the woman, "Go, and from now on do not sin any more."  He tells us that our sins are forgiven, and not to return to them.

As these final days of this Holy Season of Lent wind down, let us resolve to not stumble on something that is behind us.  Let us confess our sins to Christ through His priests, put our sins behind us, and strive forward toward the goal of Heaven.

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