GOSPEL, John (10: 11-18)
Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint John
Jesus the Good Shepherd
10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; 2 but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. 9 I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
The Gospel of the Lord
REFLECTION
Today, Evangelist John presents us with a parable addressed mainly to the Pharisees. The parable with several partial images at the door (John 10, 6-10), the shepherd (Vs. 11-18) the sheep (vs.26-30) means that Jesus is the shepherd willing to lay down his life to give eternal life to his sheep.
The Pharisees, more than the guides of the people, are “thieves and bandits” who will not enter through the door, but jump through the fold. The authentic shepherd enters through the door, calls each sheep by his name, takes them out and walks in front of the flock, which follows him confidently. The thief does everything in reverse: like the wolf, he does not enter the fold except to steal, kill and do damage.
Jesus defines himself as the door for the sheep. He is the door that leads us to life, allowing us access to the Father and his Kingdom. “I came that they might have life and have it in abundance” (John 10, 10)
He is in fact the door that opens for us to encounter God and our brothers and sisters. Everyone who enters through him will find that God the Father welcomes all his children into a community that lives together in love.
This is what the apostles and all the early Christians understood who gave themselves up to the pagans to continue the mission of Christ. Today! … Let us be Christians with open doors!
PRAYER
Eternal and omnipotent God, lead us to take possession of the heavenly joys, so that the little flock of your faithful may one day come to the glory of the Kingdom, where their mighty Shepherd, Jesus Christ, your Son is already found.