Congregation for the Clergy: Jesus the Good Shepherd

Behind the call of the man that recognises his own weakness, is in fact the hidden desire to arrive at a state of happiness.  The question posed by the habitants of Jerusalem therefore still resonates in the contemporary world when we ask, 'how can we be happy?'

P>VATICAN CITY (Catholic Online) - After the great Gospels relating to the Resurrection it may, at first sight, seem somewhat superficial that today the Church presents to us a part of St John's Gospel that describes Jesus' discourse with His disciples that occurred before the events of the Pascal festival.

In reality, in this part of the Gospel the Risen One is presented as the 'good shepherd' or above all else as 'the gateway': 'I am the gate for the sheep' through which every one of us 'will be saved'. (Jn 10:7,9)  Therefore, we can easily recognise from the Gospel the sort of response to the question that the 'whole house of Israel' posed to the Apostles after they had preached the Lord crucified: 'What are we to do, brothers?' (Acts 2:37) 

In hindsight, this is one of those questions that every man, sooner or later, asks during the passage of his life.  Behind the call of the man that recognises his own weakness, is in fact the hidden desire to arrive at a state of happiness.  The question posed by the habitants of Jerusalem therefore still resonates in the contemporary world when we ask, 'how can we be happy?'

The Lord's response, using the two extremes of the 'gatekeeper' and the 'thief' doesn't leave any space for ambiguity.  In order to be happy, to 'find pasture' and to not fear the 'unknown voice' the only alternative is to 'enter through [Him]'.  (Cfr Jn 10:9)  This disciple must therefore enter through His Body, which is the Church, because as St Peter wrote in his first letter, 'freed from sin, we might live for righteousness'. (1 Pt 2:24) 

This doorway isn't an alternative to our liberty but rather it exalts it as 'whoever enters through me will be saved' (Jn 10.9).  Our liberty is also emphasised because we can freely 'come in and go out' and on leaving we always find a loving gaze 'before' us. (Jn 10:4)

At this point the close connection between today's Gospel and the Pascal period that we are living becomes even clearer.  The Risen One, is the true and unique model of the 'Good Shepherd' who knows us all intimately by name and is the only One who's voice we can hear, who's familiar sound makes our heart beat. 

Jesus, having nailed our sins to the wood of the cross (cfr 1 Pet 2:24) has only one desire: to 'lead [us] besides still waters' to 'refresh [our] soul[s]' in order to 'dwell in the house of the Lord for ever'. (Ps 23:2:6)  Above all else, the Lord desires that all those who are 'outside the flock' will be added to those that, although not yet living in the garden of paradise, they have already entered into His Body which is the Church.

Citations of
Act 2, 14a.36-41 : www.clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/en/9bxt5gb.htm
www.clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/en/9bzgf5b.htm
1P 2,20b-25 : www.clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/en/9a4315b.htm
Jn 10,1-10 : www.clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/en/9abthdj.htm

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