Today’s gospel is from John 10:11-18 which is about “Jesus, the good shepherd“. What do you think this means? In John 10:11-18, Jesus talks about himself as the good shepherd which we have to follow. We are the herd of sheep that He is leading. The death of Jesus is long foretold and it has a sole purpose alone, to set us free from the chains of sins and hell.

Gospel: John 10:11-18

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.

12 The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and runs away, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep;

13 he runs away because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me,

15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep.

16 And there are other sheep I have that are not of this fold, and I must lead these too. They too will listen to my voice, and there will be only one flock, one shepherd.

17 The Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.

18 No one takes it from me; I lay it down of my own free will, and as I have power to lay it down, so I have power to take it up again; and this is the command I have received from my Father.

Reflection:

“The hired hands run away because the hire hand does not care for the sheep.” This justifies that Jesus as our shepherd will never abandon us. He is a kind of shepherd who will always find the one sheep that is missing. Sometimes, in this world we live in, so many temptations weaken our bodies and souls. Yet, Jesus did not forsake us, as long as we are ready to ask for forgiveness, He will lift us and cleanse us. It is actually up to us on how we live as the sheep in His flock. If we wish to be that lost sheep, Jesus will always look for us and wait for our return.

As what John 10:11-18 is telling us, “There are other sheep that do not belong to the flock, I will bring them also. They will listen to my voice so there will be one flock, one shepherd.” This is the nature of Jesus and by this alone, we are not going to fall apart. To listen to His voice means to internalize His purpose for our benefit.

In this time of pandemic, we have to gather as one people of God. We must unite ourselves in Christ Jesus. No matter what religion you have, as long as you are Christians, you are one important sheep. Our shepherd is Jesus and we are His flock. We have to lend a helping hand for each other because we are brother and sisters in Christ. – Clea | Helpline PH