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“When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and
the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they
will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because
they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” John 10:4–5
Young children are often frightened by strangers. Infants, for
example, form a strong bond with their mothers who feed them, hold
them close, talk to them, and lavish love upon them. It often
happens that when other family members, such as grandparents or
even the father, attempt to hold the child, tears emerge until the
child is placed once again in the familiar and safe arms of his or
her mother.
An infant’s reaction to strangers can teach us much about today’s
Gospel on Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Like an infant, sheep become
familiar with the voice and presence of their shepherd. The
shepherd lives with the sheep night and day. He calls to them,
speaks to them, keeps them safe, and leads them to green pastures
and water. If a stranger were to call to them, they would not
listen, similar to how an infant reacts to a stranger.
Jesus’ teaching is in response to the criticism He received from
the Pharisees after He healed a man born blind. After healing the
man, Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that
those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become
blind” (John 9:39). When the Pharisees heard Jesus say that, they
inquired whether He was suggesting that they were blind, to which
Jesus replied, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now
you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains” (John 9:41).
An infant’s unfamiliarity with a stranger is instinctive and
innocent, yet it teaches us about the deeper spiritual reality
Jesus describes. Just as sheep recognize the voice of their
shepherd and follow him because they trust in his care, so too does
a soul attuned to God respond to His voice. In contrast, the
Pharisees, who prided themselves on their religious knowledge,
failed to recognize Jesus as the true Shepherd. This failure was
not innocent ignorance; it was willful blindness rooted in their
rejection of His divine mission. The healed blind man perceived
Jesus’ voice with the simplicity of faith, while the Pharisees,
claiming to ‘see’ with their own wisdom, remained in sin because
they refused to hear and follow the voice of the Good
Shepherd.
The Pharisees saw Jesus as a stranger to their religious beliefs
and practices. They labeled Him an imposter. Unlike the innocent
reaction of an infant or the natural response of sheep, the
Pharisees’ unfamiliarity with Jesus was a sin stemming from pride.
It was a blindness of their own making that closed their hearts to
the comforting and supernaturally familiar voice of God. To
recognize Jesus’ voice is to respond to the call of grace, trust in
His teachings, and follow into the fullness of life He offers. Only
by humbly admitting our need for His guidance can we, like the
sheep, allow Him to lead us to green pastures and salvation.
Reflect today on the fact that God calls out to you day and night.
Do you recognize His voice? Or do you, like the Pharisees, turn
away from Him? Following the Good Shepherd begins with an intimate
familiarity with His divine presence in our lives. We must become
as familiar with Him as an infant is with its mother or as sheep
are with their faithful shepherd. Failure to recognize the Good
Shepherd’s voice leaves us lost and unable to care for ourselves.
Jesus desires to lead us, care for us, and bring us to the abundant
pastures of new life. Become familiar with Him and listen to His
voice alone, and like the blind man, you will begin to see in ways
you never have before, through the eyes of faith.
Jesus, my Good Shepherd, You call to me day and night, but so
often I fail to hear and respond to Your gentle voice. Please free
me from blindness caused by my own sin so that I can humbly turn to
You and follow Your consoling and familiar voice. Jesus, my Good
Shepherd, I trust in You.
Image: Good Shepherd by Lawrence OP, license CC BY-NC-ND
2.0.
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