His Voice Brings Life

During Lent, we talked about going home, where the Father was watching and waiting for us, wanting to welcome us back with a celebration, and even begging us to come in.

Today, we hear the Shepherd’s voice calling, and he says earlier in the same chapter that we follow him because we know his voice. We know him and, more importantly, he knows us, calls us by name, and gives us life. In the next chapter, Jesus calls Lazarus by name, and Lazarus, though dead four days, comes at his calling.

As Fr. Eirik pointed out, Jesus was in the temple when he spoke these words about his sheep knowing his voice and following him—the same temple where he said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” But he was speaking of the temple of his body.

At the Last Supper, he promised to prepare us a home, to send the Holy Spirit, and to do whatever his disciples asked in his name. We not only have a home with him in Heaven, he makes our very bodies his home, his temple. And what assurance do we have of these promises?

In today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles, St. Peter prays over Tabitha’s dead body, calls Tabitha by name, and she comes back from the dead.

The Lord is my shepherd…

He revives my soul…

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil;

for you are with me…

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.