Communication

Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27).

             Good communication involves two things: sending and receiving a message. However, both these elements require some attention. A sender has to know the audience being addressed, content of the message and reason for the communication before conveying anything. A receiver must get the message, understand its content and identify its motive before reacting to it. Unless both the sender and the receiver are conscious of these components, the ideas expressed will not be properly understood.

            In this passage from John, Jesus tells some Jews “My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow me.” By doing so, he tries to distinguish between those who receive his message properly and others who fail to do so.

            John’s Gospel recorded many occasions when there was a lack of understanding between Jesus and those he encountered. When Christ predicted the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, the Jews thought his Prophecy was about the building rather than his body. In his dialogue with Nicodemus, the Pharisee assumed the term “born from above” implied a second birth rather than a rebirth. During the discussion Jesus had with the Samaritan Woman at the Well, she presumed “living water” was something obtained with a bucket instead of faith. Each occasion, the listener heard Christ’s words but understood them in a literal way. This meant his message never had its intended effect. Yet, Jesus overcame these misunderstandings when he widened the conversation through an examination of the terms he employed. As the listener altered his or her thinking, the message became clearer. However, when at the Feast of the Dedication he conversed with some Jews about whether he was the Messiah, Jesus was less successful. Their rigid beliefs about the Messiah’s identity and expected actions prevented their reception of Christ’s message about the new plan of God. Although they heard the words, the Jews misunderstood their content and the motive behind it. On the other hand, Christ’s disciples (the sheep) heard God’s message through the voice of Jesus and followed it. Although there was a failure in communication with the Jews this breakdown never occurred with his Disciples.

            The amount of communication within our Society has grown exponentially over the past decades. The greater number of TV Channels, Social Media Platforms and other Communication Networks means more people can send and receive more messages more often than ever before. Yet, has this resulted in better communication? One problem is that certain words no longer have the same meaning as they had in the past. When a sender uses the term “family” a receiver may not understand it the same way. Another challenge is that people often communicate only with others who share their opinions or lifestyle. If a sender only interacts with receivers who agree with him or her, rigid ideas become reinforced. A third difficulty is many individuals repeat what they receive without thinking about it critically. Senders may not fully recognize the implications of what they communicate. Catholics and other people of Faith have to live in this environment of muddled communication. Unfortunately, it can exist within Religious Communities including the Church. Yet, Believers have the tools to help insure good communication with each other and the Secular world. First, there is a consensus about the meaning of the important concepts in their vocabulary. God is a being who surpasses the understanding of people not the product of human thinking. Second, the mission of the Church is not to avoid those who have contradictory ideas but engage with them. The dialogue could lead to their conversion but will also help Catholics to better understand their beliefs. Finally, the Church fosters critical thought and re-examination of issues to insure messages being sent and received are not misunderstood and the motives behind them are transparent. These tools, which are part of our Faith Tradition, can never guarantee good communication will always occur. But, they will help make it more likely.

            Like the sheep in the passage, Believers receive the message of the shepherd (hear his voice), understand its importance (by knowing him) and identify its motive of concern for their welfare (by following them). By contrast, our Secular Society like the Pharisees are so fixed in their ideas and convinced they know better that they wander aimlessly in a world characterized by confused messages. While the former group know where they are going the latter one seems to just get more lost.

May 8, 2022