Footsteps

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Footsteps

Follow   Shepherd

Recognize     Voice     Model

I Am the Gate

Salvation

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:  John 10: 7

Jesus was speaking to some of His disciples and the Jewish religious leaders about the importance of being a good shepherd.

He said:

"Amen, amen, I am the gate for the sheep."

Reflection

Did you ever want to follow in someone's footsteps?

A few years ago, I was visiting a home of a family that I knew from their involvement in our Youth Ministry to pray with them after the death of their dad. While we were talking, the young man that I knew left the living room and came back with his dad's shoes and put them on. 

He was sending all of us a message: he was now the man of the house as the oldest son. He would be trying to follow in his dad's footsteps and help his mom and his siblings. 

In our reading today from the Gospel of John, Jesus is talking about being a good shepherd. If you are a shepherd, you are a leader. The sheep will listen to your voice, they will know your voice, and they will follow your footsteps. 

They recognize your voice. The sheep can be in a pen with many other sheep with a variety of owners and shepherds. When their shepherd comes in, they will respond to that voice and follow. 

Today we are all looking for someone to follow. We have so many choices. Sports fans consume information about their favorite stars and follow what they are doing, wearing, and saying. Music fans flock to concerts with their favorite performers. Movie enthusiasts will line up to see their favorite stars in their latest films. 

We ask ourselves, "Are these the voices that are really important for me to follow? Do I really want to walk in their footsteps? Are they the gate that I want to pass through to find meaning and direction in my life?"

Jesus is telling us that He is the gate. He is inviting us to come to Him, to go through Him, and to follow in His footsteps. 

He is telling us that He will take care of us and make sure that we do not get lost or encounter any danger. When we go through the gate of His Love, we realize that He will always be with us. 

When we feel that presence, our footsteps can walk on many paths; but we will not be alone. We know that there are many challenges we will have to face and many rejections that we will encounter. Our footsteps will remain steady and sure as we follow Jesus.

When we walk through the gate that Jesus opens for us, we find that Jesus has a gift for us: the gift of salvation. He has come as a shepherd with Good News for us. Jesus wants to offer us eternal life and a path to freedom.

My young friend led his family with dad's shoes. His younger siblings followed in his footsteps. Jesus is offering us a gate. We can follow in His footsteps, listen to His voice, and embrace His Good News.

He is our gate.

It is our time now to follow in His footsteps and come through His gate. 

He is our Shepherd!

1. In whose footsteps do you follow?

2.  Do you see Jesus as your Good Shepherd?

3. Are there too many voices today for you to follow? Can this be confusing for you?

4. How is Jesus your gate?

5. What voices do you hear as you contemplate Kathy's photo?

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John McNamara)