John and the boys were at their first official campout this weekend, leaving me & my little hens to hang out on our own.
It was as peaceful as it could be with three very chatty little girls remaining in the house.
We attended Mass as a family after the boys got back—the 5 p.m. Sunday service at the Cathedral. I was happy to have this chance to shake things up a bit—a different church, a different pastor, a different congregation trying their best to belt out those hymns.
Hymn singing is so not a Catholic’s strong suit. We need to work on that.
The priest I knew because he is the brother of a woman from our parish. He is an awesome, holy man. (Jamie and Suzie, do you remember the priest who said Mass at last year’s homeschooling conference? This is the one.*)
I’ll confess to feeling disappointed when the deacon read the Gospel, but then—big smile—my much-loved priest ascended the pulpit to preach the homily. I’m sorry for my bias but I knew from experience that he gives good sermons…
…and he didn’t let me down this time.
He wished us all a blessed Good Shepherd Sunday. He said that as a seminarian, he’d been able to spend three months in the Holy Land, and what a difference that had made in his understanding of Sacred Scripture.
For example.
One of his fellow seminarians was walking with a local Muslim outside of Bethlehem. When they saw a shepherd tending in his flock in the distance, the seminarian remarked that “The Good Shepherd” was one of the metaphors adopted by Jesus.
Say no more. The seminarian’s friend called the shepherd over and acted as translator for the conversation that followed. Eyes twinkling, the shepherd told the seminarian to “Call my sheep.”
The young man obliged, somewhat embarrassedly. “Um…here, sheep!”
The flock blinked once or twice and kept on grazing.
The shepherd then gave his command—a single word, as it were—and the sheep immediately lined up behind him. He said that his flock could be grazing in a herd of countless other sheep and, upon hearing his voice and his voice alone, would come to him.
Because they know their shepherd’s voice.
Of course, this got me thinking. Do I really know my shepherd’s voice? I don’t think I do and yet, I long to.
“Do you know the sound of Our Lord’s voice?” I asked my husband after Mass.
“Yes,” he said. “It’s deep and gravelly.”
So no help there but I’m still thinking. My home is noisy, certainly, but I know—I am convinced, truly—that the voice of my shepherd can be heard above the din.
All for the greater glory of God,
*One more anecdote about this holy priest and then I’ll let you get on with your day. We were on our way out after the Mass at last May’s homeschooling conference. I asked Jamie if she’d mind going over to say hello to Fr. C. and being Jamie, of course she didn’t. In fact, I think it was Jamie who told me to ask this good priest for a blessing—a blessing on my (then) barren womb, a blessing for a new baby.
He was more than happy to give his benediction…and I’ll probably miss this year’s conference on account of it. : )
Nice post, Margaret!
Oh Margaret – what a beautiful story! I too have learned so much and been very inspired by said priest. He was my favorite confessor at the Cathedral and I think he still hears confessions there every Saturday. You have inspired me to ask him for a blessing on my womb as well given our ongoing issues with miscarriages. I think my dear hubby and I will be making a special trip back to the Cathedral soon! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing this story today. God Bless!
Love it Margaret!
I too, have a special fondness for dear “Fr. of the Cathedral”!!
I was able to hear some of his wonderful homilies as I was in training for a year with NET Ministries 10 years ago (I was really young then!!hehe). They were always so thought provoking and inspiring. Miss those!!
Thanks for sharing…you’ve given me something to think about and I’ll be working on hearing my shepherds voice today.
*I too need the womb blessing. Little do two special priest friends know, that our dinner invite to our home for next week has another motivation besides just getting together for friendly conversation…*:)
Oh, I was SO hoping you’d mention that and you did at the end!! Now, did you go show him the fruit of his blessing, the fruit of your womb?
Not in the least bit ironic that you could very possibly deliver on the exact day, one year later of the womb blessing…God is wonderful!
I know his homily was great, he is a wonderful priest that’s for sure.
To know His voice, I need to listen more. Nice post Margaret!
Great post.
We had a good homily, too…I was at my mom’s home parish in Pittsburgh, and the priest was a visitor for another local parish (they do a Priest Swap Sunday, which is kind of cool). He gave a great–no notes!–homily, and even told us precisely how sheephearding worked. It was great.
Wow! That is really awesome about how he blessed you and now here you are…
And how your dh responded your “wanting to dig deeper” question about knowing the shepherd’s voice is SO something my dh would say! lol
I hear his voice, but it’s not deep and gravelly at all. I wonder who your husband is talking to. 🙂 It is insistent, though.
Years ago we knew a kind woman who had taken up shepherding, both as a living and a ministry. She would give biblical tours of her farm and flock every spring. It was incredible!!! I wonder if she still does that….
Peace,
Kara
How neat that he got to SEE the metaphor in action! 🙂
Wonderful story. Gee, I’m glad I kept scrolling down to find it. You have such an easy and clear way of sharing, Margaret. We’re blessed that you do.