Good Shepherd Sunday

This is an excerpt from my homily on Good Shepherd Sunday on listening to Jesus and the Gospel.

Whatever we listen to is what we think about.
Whoever we listen to is the person we strive to imitate.

For example, if we have the TV on all day on a 24 hour news network, we will start worrying and obsessing about events happening half a world away that have nothing to do with our lives. We will feel burdened, and maybe even begin to despair. What we listen to is what we think about.

We listen to so many people each day: parents, family members, children, friends and neighbors. We listen to co-workers, TV reporters, singers, radio station DJs, etc.

Of all the people we listen to during the day though, which one is the most important?

When we meet someone we admire, don’t we “eat up” every word they utter? Holding on to each one of their words and phrases. We listen closely to the person we admire because somehow we want to be like them, we want to imitate them.

Jesus promises those who listen to him green pastures and flowing waters where there will be everlasting peace. He promises us eternal life. Shouldn’t we be listening to Him… A LOT?

Shouldn’t the Gospel be what we listen to attentively and think about?
Shouldn’t Jesus be the person we strive to listen to every day of our lives and imitate?