To whom do we listen?

In the readings this weekend the responsorial psalm, gospel acclamation and gospel all reference sheep and shepherds.

‘The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.’

Shepherds ensured that their sheep were well-nourished and protected. They made sure the health of the sheep was attended to and the sheep were free to live a comfortable life. To be a shepherd in the time of Jesus, was a humble job, but necessary for the community. Sheep were a valuable resource and needed protecting. They were also known to blindly follow other sheep, and so the voice of the shepherd was really important. This leads to the Gospel Acclamation:

My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow me.

We hear so much noise in our daily lives. Some randomly appears in our vicinity, but some we seek out. In our scrolling we put ourselves in a position where people that perhaps we would never search for, gain access to our minds as we listen to their ramblings. Often the words we take in do not bring us any growth or learnings, simply they eat away at our goodness and health, making us question what we know deep within. Is this because we are forever looking for a connection that we think is missing? First, we need to connect with ourselves, before any other bond can be formed and strengthened. Without direction, we are indeed like sheep without a shepherd, mindlessly following and friending with little to no discernment.

So important to be known. A lot of the issues in our world, especially with regards to how we view ourselves, is bound up in the sense of loneliness – that no-one really knows us. God knows us. We forget that sometimes. It is important to keep that memory fresh and to let it sit in the space within we often call our heart. There is a comfort there, in that thought. A peace.

For there to be peace without, there must be peace within.