Our day is filled with voices beckoning us to follow them.  Advertisements try to convince us to follow them and buy their product which is sure to turn our life from sadness to endless gladness.  Politicians this year are calling us at the top of their lungs that they will be our Savior, if only we follow them.

But Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me.”  My neighbor was telling of his nephew who had a set of car tires that he didn’t need.  He put them out by the street with a sign that said, “Free Tires.”  No one took them.  My neighbor told him to put a sign on the tires listing the price at $150.00.  The next morning the tires were gone.  His nephew asked how he knew someone would take the tires.  Bill said, “Because I know how people think.”

Jesus also knows how people think.  However, he didn’t appeal to our baser instincts, but in his death and resurrection he called us to eternal life.  More than that, he gave us eternal life.  We shall never perish and no one will steal us from him.  Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, Jesus continues to speak to us through his Word and through the sacraments. The Holy Spirit helps us to figure out which is the voice of Jesus among all the voices we hear.    Since we are part of his flock, all we need do is keep listening as we follow him through life into LIFE.