Who Do You Follow?

Psalm 23 —–John 10. 1-10    Acts 2:14 a & 36-41

Who do you Follow? Do you follow someone on social media? What about a famous celebrity? Maybe you follow one of your peers or someone close to you?

I share with you in this article below following the One who leads and guides us through life IF we allow Him to. That person’s name is Jesus Christ, who is the Good Shepherd. If you want to know more— read on.

What does it mean to know the voice of the shepherd? 

 And how can faithfulness to the one true Church, which is Catholic and apostolic, make a difference in your life? How can we navigate the competing voices we encounter in our lives?

The people of Jesus’ time would have easily understood this story. It was common practice for shepherds to talk to their sheep throughout the day so the sheep could become familiar with the shepherd’s voice as he led them through various grazing pastures.

At night several shepherds would bring their sheep together within secured gates for safety. IN the morning, each shepherd would then call his sheep- they would hear his voice and follow him. The sheep knew his shepherd’s voice and distinguished it from the others.

The first question to ask ourselves is, ‘Do I know the shepherd’s voice’?

Have I become so familiar with my shepherd’s voice that I can clearly distinguish it from all the others?

Try to imagine several shepherds calling their sheep at once. Would you know which one was your shepherd?

The question remains, is there only one voice we follow, and is it the voice of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour? God come to earth in a man to be like us so we can be like Him. God in Christ invites us to follow- how do we respond?

Do you know His voice? Or do you need clarification with the many voices in our world today? Do you need clarification with the many impulses, desires and attractions that flood our living rooms daily through the media and internet? 

What about the voices of well-meaning People?

The voices of family, friends and others often compete for our attention and draw us away from following Jesus in a pure and holy way.

There is only one voice to hear and obey—

Jesus continued his teaching, saying, He is not only the Shepherds whose voice is known by the sheep, but He is also the GATE. ‘I am the Gate; whoever enters through me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture’.

What does our Lord mean when he calls himself the Gate?

As the Gate, Jesus is the Word of God revealed to us through the Holy Scriptures. Fidelity to the Word of God is one of the surest ways to a life of grace. He is the Word of Truth as it is handed down from the ancient Church Fathers- the authority of the Church. Fidelity to the authentic teaching of the Church fathers SHOULD speak in union with all Church leaders-

 I wonder if many Church leaders even consider the traditions of the Church fathers. The writings and teachings of the Church fathers help us to navigate the many errors of our age. Jesus is made present with us through the Holy Sacraments, which are the door to His grace and the entryway to the food for our spiritual lives.

Any time the Lord comes to us through the preaching of the Word, the witness and preaching of the saints and the life of prayer through the Church or in any other way, er enter the Gate and are admitted to his sheepfold. He then leads us to green pastures, and we find rest.

Jesus is the Gate, not only for the sheep but for each of the shepherds who lead the sheep in Jesus’ name. |These are the Pastores of the Church who have been entrusted with the mission of Chris to lead God’s people.

Today, if a shepherd of the Church fails to preach Jesus Christ and him Crucified and resurrected, then that shepherd only comes to steal and spiritually slaughter the sheep- destroying the sheepfold. 

Pastors of the Church must listen very carefully to these words so that they never fail to shepherd God’s people by leading them through eh Gate- Which is Christ Himself. They must all be faithful to the traditions of the Church- which St Paul admonishes in —– and not deviate from the pure deposit of faith.

They are not true shepherds if they preach their private gospel or are negligent or misleading in their preaching. Therefore, God’s true sheep will not recognise them. But if they are faithful to all that Jesu taught, they will lead the sheep with the heart of the Good Shepherd.

Reflect today- upon the image of Christ the Good Shepherd, calling us in various ways. First, we must learn his voice through being in the scriptures and praying in faith. Then once w hear His voice, we will more easily discover Him ministering to us, inspiring us, and calling us into a life of grace and mercy.

Let’s pray- 

Good Shepherd, you speak to me continuously, revealing your presence and guidance. May I become so familiar with your heavenly voice that I will always recognise it? Lead me to yourself, the glorious Gate to the life of grace, and transform me into a faithful and obedient sheep. 

Jesus, my Good Shepherd, I Trust in You.

Amen 

Thank you for visiting me here; I hope this post was helpful. 

Please subscribe using the banner as you come onto the site. Also, please follow this blog, and you’ll find a button on the bottom right and leave a comment with any questions or prayer requests. 

Virtual hugs, I look forward to your visit to my next blog post! 

Remember to live life on purpose, in Hope. Faith and Love 

Paula Rose Parish💕 

🖤Want to help support me as an author?

 ✔BOOKS BY PAULA available at AMAZON in the UK, USA, Aust;

📚Nothing Good about Grief: Path to Recovery with Psalm 23 after COVID-19 & other losses.

 📚Psalm 23 Unwrapped: Hope in difficult times.