Timelytidbits’s Weblog

Have you ever played the game Simon Says?  It is a simple enough activity in which the leader commands the participants to do whatever he askes simply by saying “Simon Says”.  The trick of the leader of this game, is to try to catch everyone by getting them to follow him even without the command. 

“Simon says: touch your toes.  Simon says:  touch your nose.                Touch your ears.  Simon didn’t say to touch your ears.”

You get the idea.  I was at a national youth conference where there were thousands of teens crowded into the auditorium and this game was played.  One by one students had to sit down because they were “caught” not following Simon.  My reflection at the time was how much this “game” was like our walk in faith.  Jesus is Simon, yet most of us spend our lives listening to someone elses voice and not following the commands of God. 

This Sunday throughout the Catholic Church is known as “Good Shepherd” Sunday.  Our reading taken from the gospel of St. John 10:1-10 has us hearing the words of Jesus as he calls us into the fold.  We are the sheep.  He is the shepherd.  Our goal and challenge in life is simply this:  to follow HIS voice, none other.  But how can you do that if you don’t know what it sounds like.  I have had many individuals “complain” to me that they wish God would “be more direct”; “speak more plainly” because they don’t know what to do.  When I ask them what they have “done” to listen most will mumble something and walk away, afraid to admit they haven’t done much.  Our call in faith to, at the very least, attend Mass each weekend — our call in faith to pray daily — our call in faith to read and study the scriptures and the teachings of the church are not there just to give us busy work.  God knows that it is only in this way that we will be able to recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd among the cacophony of our noisy life if we stay close to him.

I am sometime criticised that I have no life outside of the Church.  My response… there is no life outside of the love of God which is most profoundly expressed through the Church.  Why would anyone choose to be anywhere else?  I remain, your servant in Christ,

Theresa