4th Sunday of Easter, Year A
If I pronounce the words: ‘The voice’, probably quite a few people will think of the television programme by this name.
One characteristic of the programme is that those who are to judge the performers do not see them – they only hear, yes, their voices.
This came to my mind when reading the gospel of this 4th Sunday of Easter (Year A, Jn.10:1-10).
One verse of the text says precisely:
“The shepherd goes in front of them and the sheep follow
because they know his voice.”
We know that – figuratively speaking, of course – we are the sheep that the Lord is leading, his followers.
But, could he say the same of us?…
Could he say that we know his voice?
Do we recognize it?
Can we identify this sound of his, calling us…
Trying to gain our attention, speaking to us personally…
And that, in the midst of so many other voices reaching us through the day?
The voices of our relatives demanding our help or giving us advice…
That of our friends and neighbours asking for assistance or offering suggestions…
The sounds of our colleagues coaxing us into doing, or not doing something…
And… the inner voices that have become part of our personality – that of our values, convictions, or… prejudices…
And, of course, the ever-present voices of publicity, propaganda, persuasive as they are…
So many voices!
What about HIS own – is it drowned in all of the surrounding sounds, becoming hardly a whisper?…
True – like the judges of the television programme – we do not, we cannot, see him.
Yet, he keeps on providing us with inspiration and guidance.
His voice… with his unique accent – altogether caring, comforting, challenging…
Could he really say that WE know his voice?
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