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Easter Four - Discerning His Voice

How do we discern the voice of Jesus amid the clamour of competing claims? (Easter Four. John 10:1-10.)  

Sentence:

“… and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” John 10:3

 

Collect:

Creator God,

you spoke and the world came into being.

You sent your own son among us and he spoke in the language of the everyday

words of healing and forgiveness.

He listened to the cries from the margins of those often silenced.

Help us to discern his voice and to likewise listen to others.

This we pray in the name of the Word made flesh. Amen.

 

Reflection:

Images of sheep and shepherds are very Biblical and carry layers of ancient meaning. But for most of us they are quite foreign metaphors for the life of faith as we experience it today. (Indeed, since the explosion of conspiracy theories and the accusation of being “sheeple” it is no longer even very attractive to consider ourselves sheep of the great shepherd!)

 

You may like to read a reflection on Jesus as the good shepherd from a few years ago.

 


But maybe we can recognise the task and challenge of discerning His voice from all the competing voices and all the noise as the image in this story that speaks very directly to where we find ourselves today. If we are to follow Jesus the good shepherd, we need to be able to discern His voice from all the other voices. A few minutes on social media and you can access competing claims about the teachings of Jesus and other wisdom traditions, many of which in isolation seem to have something of interest to say. Indeed, if we look long enough we can find voices that will affirm what we already believe or claims that will unseat our sacred certainties.

 

In many ways it is one of the great privileges of this age that on average we in the west are so educated and have so much access to information. But we also have reasons to doubt what and who we hear which means that to listen is to have to discern which voice is authentic and then what does it say to us?

 

People of faith have always had to discern what is from God and what is from elsewhere, including our own ego. The overwhelming amount of information and claims of wisdom and truth have only complicated that in some ways.

 

You may like to read what I have reflected on Listening in the past.

 


Richard Rohr describes our dilemma and task this way: “Our goal consists in doing the will of God, but first we have to remove our attachment to our own will so that we can recognize the difference between the two. Throughout history, many people who did horrible things were convinced that they were doing God’s will. That’s why we have to find an instrument to distinguish between God and us. Paul calls this gift the discernment of spirits. We have to learn when our own spirit is at work and when the Spirit of God is at work.  

 

There are several models of discernment, some of which I will provide links to below, but let me make three general suggestions. Firstly, discernment is an aspect or outworking of an attentive relationship. That is, a pattern of prayer, reflective reading, contemplation, wondering and more prayer – immersing oneself in the presence of the divine. This is why some of our practice needs to be silent and open so there is room for the Spirit to move, unsettle and change us, quieten and comfort us. Discernment happens in the context of a deep and open relationship between ourselves and the divine that is both private and communal. This is the deep work of relationship which will impact our beliefs but is not primarily about belief but connection.

 

Secondly scripture is very important. Not necessarily the capacity to quote great paragraphs of ancient words but a deep familiarity with the characters and themes of Scripture, particularly Jesus. The more familiar we are with the life and teachings of Jesus the more able we are to discern if something being said about Jesus or God, or on the divine’s behalf, is indeed of God. For example, if we know the healing stories of Jesus and have noted how often he offers healing to those who were unimportant in their time and who had no means of paying for the gift of healing then we have a reference point by which to judge the authenticity of claims that the Lord only helps those who help themselves or healthcare is only for certain people of certain incomes!

 

And thirdly a pattern of honesty with ourselves and openness to change and growth is essential to the discernment of the voice of Jesus. Jesus said many loving and encouraging things. He also said, especially to the disciples, a lot of very challenging things. Peter who gets a gold star one minute for recognising Jesus as Messiah, is told to get behind me Satan, minutes later for getting it completely wrong about the need to suffer, for seeing things in human terms! We need to hear and accept the encouragement and loving acceptance. And we need to be able to hear words of correction and challenge if we are to continue to grow deeper into faith. And always, the last word is loving for the purposes of love.

 

So let us attend deeply to ourselves, others in the faith, and listen for the movement of the Spirit. And like Thomas let us live with questions when we need to. Even so, come risen Jesus the Christ, come speak in ways we can receive so that we and all your people might know ourselves loved. Amen.

 

Intercessions:

Creator God, you spoke and brought the world to life,

Help us to remember that you love all that you made, and help us to live in such a way that we gratefully honour all your creation.

Help us to care for precious and precarious environments and to learn how to protect and care.

We particularly pray for those parts of your world that are damaged by greed and ignorance, by war and famine, climate change …

We pray for first nations people around the world who seek to keep ancient wisdom alive and treat the world itself as sacred.

Creator God speak your creative word over us,

Hear our prayer.

 

Jesus, Word made flesh,

We give you thanks that you lived our common life

so that we could see and hear how beloved we all are.

Help us to hear the voices of your precious forgotten ones:

We particularly pray for victims of violence, for the displaced and refugees, for the homeless and those at home alone …

We pray for the protection and safekeeping of all who seek to bring relief and aid to the struggling … peacekeepers, health workers, community development workers …

Jesus, Word made flesh,

Hear our prayer.

 

Spirit that speaks in more than words,

Break through the haze of fear and confusion, distraction and despair, and call our names in ways we will hear.

Call our loved ones and the ones we pray for into your embrace, write our names in the book of life, and gather us in.

We particularly pray for those who have died and we entrust to be in your care, for those who are sorrowing, and for those who are weary with care …

Spirit who speaks in more than words,

Hear our prayer.

 

Living God,

Creator, Word made flesh, and Renewing Spirit,

We pray in the name of the Risen Christ, who calls us by name into life. Amen.

 This is my work informed by all that I have heard, read and experienced. I am indebted to the wisdom of others. This week I am especially grateful to Richard Rhor and his reflection on discerning God’s will:

 

 

A useful article can also be found on the Ignatian model of discernment as a starting place.

 

 

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