The Sheep that listens

The Sheep that listens

“The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.  I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me.  The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone and no one can steal from the Father.  The Father and I are one.”  (John 10: 27 – 30)

Jesus describes the devil as a liar and a thief.  The devil steals souls.  What do I know about thieves?  Their operations are covert and secretive and they survey their target with great care.  The devil may be very clever but he cannot steal anyone that belongs to Jesus.  Jesus promises that those who belong to him “will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me.”   What a message of hope.  I belong to Jesus and I listen to him.  If I truly listen to him and follow, I will never be lost.  

February 14 is the feast day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, two brothers who listened and followed Jesus into missionary work.  They evangelized parts of Europe in the 9th century.  Pope John Paul II proclaimed them patron saints of Europe, along with St. Benedict, the abbot.