The True Voice (John 10:11-18)

”I am a good shepherd… [the sheep] will listen to my voice…” (John 10:16)

Jesus said, “My sheep recognize my voice and they follow me.”

That’s why, after working diligently throughout an entire night and yet catching nothing, even a single tiny fish, the fisherman recognizes the voice of his shepherd;

“Lower the net [again].” And he drops the wet net onto the surface of the still waters… And the impossible becomes possible.

The human mind can never be able to comprehend why the fishing boat is no longer empty, vacuous, but filled with countless fish.

Despairing faces of Peter and his companions are transformed into joyful faces. They are smiling and laughing. And leaving everything behind, his family, his fishing boat, Peter follows the voice, hence, the former fisherman no longer catches fish but human souls.

Jesus said, “My sheep recognize my voice and they follow me.”

That’s why, though buried in the tomb for four days, his body having begun the first steps of being decomposed (that’s what his sister pleads with Jesus), the dead man Lazarus, after hearing the voice of the shepherd who calls his name, “Lazarus, get out of the tomb,” opens his eyes.

His dead fingers commence moving slowly…

Life has been restored to the dead body.

At once Lazarus gets up from the bench where his body had once been laid; and he walks out of the realm of death that belongs only to those who choose not to be under Jesus’ care and love.

Jesus said, “My sheep recognize my voice and they follow me.”

That’s why Mary Magdalene, while standing by the empty tomb, burst into tears, for the loss of the one who had healed and brought her out of the dark valley. She was so preoccupied with her own loss that she fails to see the one whom she is looking for standing and talking to her. Yes, right in front of her eyes…

But, as soon as Jesus calls her name, “Mary,” she at once recognizes the voice of her shepherd, for she is the sheep that belongs to the good shepherd Jesus.

Living in the world that sends out countless voices every single day, I as expected fail to attune my ears to the voice of Jesus.

No wonder that I allow myself to follow the voice that leads me to the valley of darkness and the realms of death.

Oh, Jesus, please, heal my ears!

Grant me the courage to ignore the other voices but rather attune my ears to only one voice, your voice!