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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What my Prayer Time is Really Like.

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Mark 7:24-30

Step #3 of my book 4 Simple Steps to Better Scripture Meditations is "Join the Story".  This means placing yourself within the scripture passage.  In this step you use your imagination.  Are you a disciple or a bystander?  Are you a Pharisee or a leper?  Can you hear the sea, smell the grass, or feel the tension?  When we place ourselves in the story we become part of it and the words of Our Lord can speak deeply to us.  While doing this I often like to imagine my responses and reactions to the situation.  Today I place myself in the role of the woman asking for healing for her daughter...

Me: Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!  My daughter is tormented by a demon.

Jesus:

Me: Hey, Master, Lord, have pity.

Jesus:

Me:  Hey, I know you hear me...

Jesus:

Disciples:  Master, send this guy away.  He's making a scene and everyone is watching.

Jesus: I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Me: Oh, I see.  Too good for me.  Well, I had heard you were a prophet and healer but I guess not.  At least maybe you are but just for certain people.  Look, I really need your help.  Can you make an exception, just once?

Jesus: It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.

Me:

Jesus:

Me:*lunging at Jesus and taking a swing - What the heck man!  No, really.  What. The. Heck. (struggling to free myself from the grasp of the disciples)  I'll show you a dog...

Well, that didn't end quite like the original but it's probably more true to life for me and sometimes how my "prayer" ends up!  How many times have I prayed for something only to feel like I'm being ignored by the Lord!?  How many times have I seen Him bless others while I appear to be languishing!?  How many times have I prayed for something in my life only to find something bad happening instead, it's like an insult!??

Prayer changes things, most especially, us.  Prayer, daily conversations with the Lord, can help us grow in our faith.  It's when we stop talking to Him, when communications break down, that we drift and our relationship weakens.  God is always trying to help us to grow closer to Him, even during those times it seems like the exact opposite.  If you are praying for patience, God will give you "opportunities" to exercise patience.  If you are praying for humility, God will give you "opportunities" to become humble.  These opportunities aren't always a walk in the park!!

O woman, great is your faith!  This woman in today's Gospel reminds us how to pray and that God is not being mean to us but is trying to draw us outside of ourselves.

Do you feel like Jesus is ignoring your prayers?  Maybe He is trying to teach you perseverance!
Do you feel like Jesus is blessing everyone but you?  Maybe He is trying to teach you gratitude!
Do you feel like Jesus is insulting you?  Maybe He is trying to toughen you up for the work He has planned for you or help you develop tenacity!

O woman, great is your faith!  Intercede for us that we will relentlessly pursue the Lord.  Help us to trust and remember that His responses, no matter what they may be, are designed to make us better and bring us closer to Him and may we too hear, "Let it be done for you as you wish."

FROM THE SAINTS -
"An apostle who does not pray regularly and methodically will necessarily fall into lukewarmness...and he will then cease to be an apostle." - St. Josemaria Escriva, The Forge #121

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