Are you among my sheep?

Do you remember Beethoven?

After a particularly brilliant concert, he was in the centre of congratulating friends and admirers, who praised his piano magic. One unusually enthusiastic woman exclaimed: Oh, sir, if God had only given me the gift of genius! But Beethoven replied: It is not genius, madam, nor magic. All you have to do is practice on your piano eight hours a day for forty years and you’ll be as good as I am.

We – believers or Christians (as the first reading names us today) – have a leading role to play in redeeming the world, being porters of Jesus the Good Shepherd and His message. That demands strenuous work, persistence and perseverance in doing good. Beethoven was able to perform great things because of his patience and perseverance. Are we capable of the same dedication for someone the most important in our lives – for God?

But maybe God is not the most important in our lives.

If He isn’t… well, let us think today who He is for us. It is very important because He said to the people to whom He wasn’t important: But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.