To which voice do we listen?

I recall when I looked after cows and sheep. They could understand the different sounds of my vice that invited them to eat or to go home. They recognized utterances that warned them of any danger. A stranger would not easily persuade them to those actions. He even stands the risk of being attacked if he sounds a suspect.

By Yemti Harry Ndienla

We live in a world of familiar and strange voices. They beckon us to one thing or another. Our family may be calling us to one thing and the church or society to another. The radio and television have a message for us. The media is constantly feeding us with information. People are at our door calling our attention to some happening. Prophets claim to have the last word that will give us happiness. Churches sound their bells loud. Religious sects do not give one a rest. We have not forgotten the inner voice of our conscience and the still voice of God. The attractions and voices are legion.

Sometimes these voices are confusing, contradictory, deceptive, misleading or too exacting or simply a kind of laissez-faire. To which voice do we listen? What is the criterion for knowing which voice is authentic? Which voice offers the best for life? What or who guarantees genuine happiness and well – being? That is our quest and prayer for Vocations to the priesthood and the religious life. Jesus presents us with five qualities of a good shepherd. Firstly, he enters through the door.

He does not break in like a thief. It denotes openness, sincerity, honesty and single-mindedness. He has no dubious intentions to rob his sheep or followers of their possessions. I have seen church leaders who use their flock to collect money and at the end they desert them and flee abroad. Any kind of fraud or distortion in the name of God is bad shepherding. There are crusaders and tricksters who deceive people for personal profit and glory. Beware of these brigands. Once they get what they want they would abandon you to despair.

Secondly, a good shepherd leads the way. He goes before his sheep so that they can follow his footsteps. Watch the people who take cows around. There is always one ahead. He shows them the way to pass and he takes the risks for the sake of his flock. As an example, the good leader tries to live like Christ and follow the way of the gospel. He lives by what he preaches. He avoids any scandal that might lead others to sin or astray
Thirdly a good shepherd knows his flock by name. Jesus says every hair in our head has been counted. It indicates intimate knowledge of each individual and the interest the shepherd has in what concerns him or her. The dignity and welfare of the sheep are well taken care of. Nobody gets lost in the crowd. He or she is accountable for.

Fourthly, the sheep recognize the voice of the good shepherd because he is close to them. He is available and ready to die for any of them. Devoted to their cause he comes to their rescue with a fatherly love and compassion. He makes himself one of them. He has a consoling and soothing voice that evokes empathy and a heart-rending appeal. There is mutual understanding and dialogue.

Finally, he makes his sheep live life to the full. He leads them to fine pasture by offering them the best. He dies to himself that his followers may live. No amount of sacrifice is enough until the sheep are well fed spiritually and materially.