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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Woe to you, part two!

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Matthew 23:27-32

By looking at my "blog" picture you wouldn't think that I was at one time a slave to fashion. But long ago, how I looked was all that I cared about. For high school I had to have exactly the right look. Now granted, it wasn't the most popular look or the most in style. I wanted to look like, and act like, Dwight Yoakam (a country singer...please, no snickering). My hair was long, almost to the middle of my back. I wore torn up jeans, that were thread bare at the knees, and very loud cowboy boots.

As I grew older this obsession with my looks didn't leave me. I spent a long time getting myself ready to go to the bar, fair, or festival. I lived for my looks alone and didn't have a care for what I looked like on the inside. Inside I was dying. I was so self-centered and ego-centric that I didn't have a care for anyone unless they were telling me how good I looked. My exterior had been whitewashed but my insides were dead and decaying.

The Jews of Jesus' time would whitewash the tombstones so that no one would inadvertently touch them and become unclean, according to the law of Moses. In today's Gospel Jesus compares the scribes and Pharisees to these tombs. He accuses them of making themselves appear to be holy but all the while they are dead within. I hear Him loud and clear.

Today I am much better about not being concerned with my looks as much as I used to be. However, I think I still have a way to go for I am not merely concerned with looking clean and proper, which is acceptable, but I am still concerned about how I look to others. Father Thomas Dubay calls this "living in other people's minds." It is that inordinate concern with the opinions of others in dress, language, style, etc.

Lord Jesus, help me to spend as much time preparing my soul as I do my body. Give me the grace to live in Your sight and not worry how I appear to others.

FROM THE SAINTS
Don't aspire to be like the gilded weather vane on top of a great building. However much it may glitter, however high it may be, it adds nothing to the firmness of the structure. Rather be like an old stone block hidden in the foundations, under the ground where no one can see you. Because of you, the house will not fall. - Saint Josemaria Escriva, The Way # 590


How to get better at prayer.
  1. Set a prayer appointment - Set a time on your calendar each day to meet and speak with God.
  2. Slowly increase your prayer time. - Don't jump in with an hour right from the get-go.  Build up your "tolerance" so to speak.
  3. Commit - to praying and slowly increasing your prayer time for 30 days.  Mark off the days on your calendar.  If you miss a day, jump right back in, don't give up.
  4. Pray - praying is talking to God, it's spending time with your attention focused on Him.  I enjoy spending time with my children regardless of their level of development.  God is the same way.  Spend time praying as best you can.  Use formal prayers if you want or simply speak in conversation.  Don't forget to listen
  5. Journal - Our newly revised 4 Simple Steps to Better Scripture Meditations: Guide, Workbook, and Journal walks you through 4 easy steps that will help you go deeper in your prayer life.  It includes 31 days of workbook and journal pages too!
  6. Read other good books about how to pray better - Prayer Primer, Deep Conversion, Deep Prayer, Time for God, The Spiritual Life: A Comprehensive Guide to Catholics Seeking Salvation.


  • Click here to read more from James M. Hahn - Blog - Books 
  • Check out his ongoing memoir about life with his special-needs daughter.

If you'd like to make a donation to help get this book about Catherine completed, our family would greatly appreciate that and you'll be the first to know when it's ready.

God bless you - Jim Hahn
* Contains affiliate links. No, that doesn't mean that the kids should leave the room. Rather, it means that if you click on a link, and if you purchase something, I may get some financial remuneration for that click and buy. All that means is that my kids will finally get to eat, just kidding but I may get something, just so you know...

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