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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Storing Up Riches for Others

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I can't help but think of this passage every time I pass a self-storage business. Yes, that means I think of this passage a lot. Like weeds of greed along the highways and byways they dot the landscape in every city. For folks on a pilgrimage, we sure gather a lot of junk. Yet, hardly ever do we consider parting with our junk.

After reading today's Gospel I couldn't help but think of the many families that have been torn apart because of fighting over inheritance. I have read stories of brothers and sisters in vicious law suits attacking and counter attacking each other over land, furniture, and jewelry. This is probably what was happening with the person who approached Jesus.

It is interesting that Jesus never says that one cannot be rich. He never says, that by default, being rich automatically condemns one to perdition. However, His warnings are always against the love of money or love of things. I can't take any of it with me. How I live here so it goes in eternity. How I live here is what I leave behind. I want to leave behind a family that loves me because of my love for Christ. I want to leave behind holy men and women (children) destined to become saints because I was obedient to God in much. I don't want to leave behind barns filled with junk that no matter who receives them will ultimately end in rust, dust, and ashes. I want to be rich in what matters to God.

FROM THE SAINTS - "Detach yourself from the goods of this world. Love and practice poverty of spirit: be content with what is sufficient for leading a simple and temperate life. Otherwise, you'll never be an apostle." "True poverty is not to lack things but to be detached, to give up voluntarily one's dominion over them. That's why some poor people are really rich...and vice versa." - Saint Josemaria Escriva

Are you up for a challenge in this area of the spiritual life? If so, I challenge you to read the book Happy Are You Poor: The Simple Life and Spiritual Freedom by Fr. Thomas Dubay. 



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