Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life.”
The Call
“My Sheep Hear My Voice”
God calls each of us in the silence of our hearts, but the problem is that most of us don’t know or even pay attention to what’s going on in the depths of our hearts. Why? Because we’re too busy doing instead of being. We’ve fallen into the failed idea that living a successful life means acquiring lots of material things which keeps us busy at a job that we hate, around people that we can’t stand, all so that we can drive a car that will make them envious. Sounds pretty silly to me too. Some of us figure it out sooner than others, but throughout our lives there is a tiny whisper deep within telling us that something is missing. When we slow down, take a deep breathe, and stop worrying about all these foolish things, we become aware that this voice inside is God calling us to a deeper purpose. This is the call.
The Response
“I Know Them, and They Follow Me”
Once you’ve heard this call, once you’ve heard the voice of God speaking to your heart, you are faced with a challenge. Every time God speaks it’s a challenge. God’s call requires a response. You can say “yes” or you can say “no”. A “no” doesn’t mean your done, for the call will return. And a “yes” requires a lived response, proof of the promise.
When Jesus went about the shores of the Sea of Galilee calling the men who would become His Apostles He said to them “Come, follow me.” They knew that a “yes” required leaving other things behind. It was a reorganization of priorities. God at the top of the list, the rest comes later, and as those who have walked in the footsteps of the Lord know everything seems to fall into place when you keep your eyes on the prize, in this case Jesus. Of course, there is fear involved—fear of the unknown. To follow God means to step outside of your comfort zone and embark on an adventure, a spiritual journey that will lead you ever closer to Him whom you pursue.
It can seem daunting at first. And it can be kinda scary. But St. Paul reminds us that “we walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7).
The Reward
“I Give Them Eternal Life”
This is the reward. It’s not a place, it’s a person, namely, God. If you follow God, eventually you catch up to Him only to realize that He has been pursuing you the whole time. Since the beginning of Creation, God has given us free will, the choice is in our hands. What is the choice? God or something else. Every day, multiple times throughout the day, you are faced with this very choice: God or something else. The something else can be anything, it doesn’t matter. That’s not what’s important here. What’s important is the fact that you choose God over anything else.
When you die and face God in judgement, were He to ask you what you love most, what would you respond? If it’s something other than Him, He’ll grant it to you, but at the cost of eternal separation from God—aka Hell. If it’s Him that you love most, I’m guessing He’d say “prove it”. Just as Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him, then challenged him to act on it, God will most likely ask you to prove by your life that you have loved Him above everything: yourself, your mom, Netflix, your iPhone, and your delicious little Girl Scout cookies. It seems like a lot to give up, but choosing God doesn’t necessarily mean you’re giving up the other things. It means that God is first.
Are You Following Christ?
This is the question you should be reflecting on everyday if you claim to be a Christian. And listening for the voice of God calling you is pretty important too. If you can’t hear it, maybe it’s time for a retreat, an escape from the busy, noisiness of the your day-to-day life to go off with God. Maybe you can just take a walk around the block for five minutes during your work day and you’ll hear it loud and clear. Or perhaps you could stop in to your local parish and drop to your knees before the tabernacle for a few minutes before or after work to just listen.