THROUGH UNTRUE
Today’s Gospel reading portrays Jesus as the good shepherd (John 10:11-13),and us, the sheep of His flock. However, to compare Christians to sheep seems like an insult. Contemporary usage of the word “sheep” often refers to persons who are gullible, dumb, easily fooled, and prone to “herd mentality.”
But researchers studying animal behavior say that herd mentality is a survival strategy among sheep, shielding them from predators. When a sheep senses danger, it moves instinctively towards the center of the flock for safety. And when one shifts direction, others follow suit, thereby presenting a united front that deters potential threats.
Researchers also find that sheep have the remarkable ability to recognize the voice of their shepherd. If someone unfamiliar calls them, they run away. But when they hear their shepherd’s voice, they respond in trust and confidence, finding security in remaining with the flock and obeying their shepherd’s guidance.
Thus, when Jesus likens us to sheep, He is not telling us to be timid, easy-going and just drift with the current. He wants us to stay together as one flock, listening only to His voice and following His lead. This message is quite relevant in today's world where the deafening clamor of technology, media, entertainment, politics, and business pull us in many directions, swamping our minds with ideas and distractions, drowning out the inner voice within us that says, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
How attuned are we to God's voice? The Bible has always been a reliable source for guidance in our daily life. But do we regularly turn to the Bible to discern God’s will? Or, do we overly rely on alternative sources like television, astrology, fengshui, or news analysis? In one revealing US talk show, the host interviewed some people on the street to ascertain their knowledge of the Bible. He asked one man: “Can you name one of the Ten Commandments?” He replied: “Freedom of speech?” He asked a woman: “Complete this sentence: ‘Let he who is without sin...’” Her response was, “have a good time!”
These answers may make us laugh, but they point to a tragic reality: Many people struggle to recall even the basic Christian teachings, revealing widespread biblical illiteracy. Reading the Bible helps us to be familiar with Jesus who is the “Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6).
Heeding the promptings of our conscience offers another avenue for listening to God’s voice. St. Paul describes conscience as our internal moral compass, guiding us according to Christian principles (Romans 2:14-15). However, it’s easy to mistake the voice of conscience with our subjective judgments. John Henry lamented this sad state of affairs in these words: “Today, conscience has been superseded by a counterfeit: the voice of self-interest.”
Worse, the voice of conscience has been equated with the pronouncements of judicial courts. We now hear criminals saying: “The court has declared me innocent. Who are you to judge me?” But there is a difference between crimes and sins. Judicial courts deal with crimes and they base their judgments on evidence that can be twisted by cunning lawyers. Conscience is concerned with sins that we know we have committed. But it is easy for us to silence its voice by manipulation and pretense. Hence, the necessity of educating our conscience so it will be aligned with God's commandments.
We are the sheep in the sheepfold of Jesus. St. Paul wrote that when we refuse to listen to our Shepherd’s voice we begin to “delight in delusions that make us believe the lie” (2 Thessalonians 2:11). We can, indeed, be so deaf to God's voice that we rejoice over things that will eventually destroy us.