“The Shepherd’s task is to guard the flock. He opens the gate, calls the sheep, (who listen to Him), and leads them out, walking in front of them. “
The parable of “The Good Shepherd” in today’s Gospel presents us with an interesting cast of characters: the Shepherd, sheep, predators and thieves. All of them can enter the sheepfold. However, not everyone uses the same entrance. Only the Shepherd and the sheep can pass through the gate. They are protected from the predators and thieves who try to “climb over elsewhere”. The sheep gate is the focus of legitimate entry into the safety of the sheepfold. This sheep gate gives me an identity because it explains who I am. “The gatekeeper opens the gate for Him (the Shepherd), and the sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. (John 10:3)
The Shepherd’s task is to guard the flock. He opens the gate, calls the sheep, (who listen to Him), and leads them out, walking in front of them. The sheep follow Him, because they “know His voice”. Seven verbs summarize the nature of this relationship:
• To open: A closed gate is a symbol of security. On the other hand, an open gate symbolizes freedom, the possibility of stepping out. Into what? Into where?
• To listen: Without listening there is no relationship. Listening means welcoming and allowing the other to enter into a relationship with me.
• To call by name: This is an expression of true friendship, knowledge of and appreciation of the other.
• To set free, to let go: This is what the gate keeper does for the sheep. Freedom provides us and others with the possibility of stepping into new situations, possibilities.
• To lead, to guide: The Shepherd not only walks in front of the sheep, He also leads. “Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;” (Psalm 5:8). The Shepherd leads because he knows the safe way.
• To confide, trust, surrender: Because the Shepherd is trustworthy, the sheep entrust their lives to him. He is dependable.
• To know: Knowledge is the point of convergence. All the above verbs converge into mutual knowledge.
Jesus says that He is the gate of the sheepfold. Jesus is the Way to enter the safety of the sheepfold protected from thieves and predators. Through Baptism we are welcomed into the pasture of the Good Shepherd. We “know His voice” and are given the discernment to know who truly speaks “in His Name” and can be trusted, and who are the predators and thieves to be avoided. Only the one who knows the faithful with love, by name, by virtue of a communion of life, joy and suffering can be a minister of Christ, a shepherd. Finally, a minister can be a sign and instrument of Christ the Shepherd only if his authority is founded on the Word of God, because the sheep recognize only the voice of the true Shepherd, of Christ.
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