Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He is also the gate to the sheepfold. The two roles are one. His relationship with us is not that of a user, but of a friend, one who nurtures us toward growth. Like sheep, we know the voice of Jesus, and we can tell his voice from that of a stranger, or someone who wants to lead us to a new doctrine. We know Jesus’ voice because His word is clear. He always call us to do good, to pray, to celebrate His presence and His grace. The stranger the narcissistic, the morally perverse are easy to identify. They tell us to look out for number one.
The way to be certain we will always recognize the voice of Jesus is to listen to that voice often, by reading Scripture, by sharing our faith with others, by celebrating the sacraments and the divine office. If Jesus is to be the Good Shepherd, then we must be attentive to our role to be better and better for his sheepfold.
What does that mean for us today? It means that in a world hungry for meaning, hungry for joy, hungry for hope, we must share the story of Christ and His Church. Jesus is the answer to our problems, and the sure and certain way to salvation and eternal life.
Title: The Good Shepherd and the Leviathan; Artist: Peter Koenig; Date: 20th century; Building: Private Collection; Object/Function: Painting; Country: United Kingdom; Scripture: John 10:11-18, John 10:1-10
