Sunday, April 21, 2013

GETTING CALLS

How are you called?   Do you get calls on your I-Phone or on your land line?  Do you know who is calling you before you answer because you have caller ID, or do you immediately recognize the one who is calling when he/she greets you on the phone? When the phone rings, my mother looks at her TV screen, which displays the name and number of the caller, to see who is calling her before she answers the phone.  How do you know when God is calling you and how do you recognize his voice?
There are many call stories in scripture:  the call of Abraham; the call of the prophets; the call of the disciples; and the call of St. Paul, just to name a few.  Today's Gospel from John 10:27-30 is just a small portion of the Good Shepherd passages.  Jesus says, "My sheep hear my voice...and they follow me."  We can hear his voice through prayer and reflection, through scripture or in song, through other people or in spiritual readings, or by being still and silent.  Something in these may strike our hearts that gives us joy or peace, enlightenment or comfort.  It can fill us with deep love.
Jesus, our Shepherd, has a love deeper than ours.  I was caught by the line, "My Father who has given them to me...and no one can take them out of the Father's hand."  We are a gift given to Jesus by the Father.  His love, mercy, and compassion will always keep us close to his heart because we are precious gifts to him.  No one and nothing will take us out of His hands.  We are Christ's forever.
Today is World Day of Prayer for Vocations.  Please continue to pray that more men and women will listen to the voice of the Shepherd to follow him in the vocations to the priesthood and religious life.  If you feel that you may have a religious vocation and want to talk about it, get in touch with me at s.lfusco@ssjerie.org

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