Monday 4th Week of Easter 18th April 2016

« I am the good shepherd : the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. 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 running, and runs away, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep ; he runs away because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep. »

The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock, says Jesus. The encounter is a genuine one because there is no infraction, it is done gently. Jesus speaks to me in a simple and natural manner, he doesn’t force anything in me. His Word is patient, legitimate, simple, gentle. Any other word would in fact be rejected, because it wouldn’t respect nature, having us come out of ourselves and losing us.

The images of the ’good shepherd’ and of the ’gate’(the door) put down practical bases so as to follow Jesus our Good Shepherd, and reject all that didn’t come from Him.

This image of the shepherd leading his sheep into good pastures is such a beautiful one, the sheep have a sense of their shepherd, if someone unknown penetrates into the flock he causes panic amongst the sheep ! As soon as the Good shepherd comes, they recognise him from a distance, and come to meet him.

Jesus is the Lamb of God who reveals the True Shepherd, the Invisible Father !

It is the Holy Spirit who opens our faithful heart, the Holy Spirit dwells in us ha has us listen to the Word of God. In order that the new Love brought by Jesus be recognised we must through the Holy Spirit let him come into our life so he betroths our whole existence.

« I am the good shepherd ; I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father ; and I lay down my life for my sheep. »

In this Gospel Jesus tells us how we can get ready to welcome Him inside of us. The Word he speaks to us is distinguished from others because it isn’t hard for

us. It has us come and go as we like, allowing life to bubble up in us. We just needed to receive it and let it be united to our intimate life, it is capable of going straight in to betroth itself to us .

The shepherd, the gate(the door), are images that put down bases for a discernment in order to follow the Good Shepherd.

Since Mary’s yes at the Annunciation, she gave her life for Jesus, she welcomed Him, recognised the Lamb of God in his weakness. Throughout his life she discovered the mystery of his vulnerability and she accompanies us as she accompanied Jesus. Like the Good Shepherd, she gives her life for her sheep, she helps us again to relive the mystery of Jesus in his Passion and Resurrection in us.

Mary received from God the Life of the Holy Spirit in fullness and in a surprising manner, at Jesus’ Passion, the Good Shepherd led her to the sources of Living Water, he gave her to us and after him she gives her life like the Good Shepherd. Mary teaches us how to be little and humble.

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

When Jesus has led all his sheep outside, he walks ahead of them and they follow him for they know his voice.

What has us move forward together is his voice, the Word in its incarnate dimension, which is there, present, uniting the body of those who are following Him.

The life that Jesus gives generously to us is his true Life ,so it may be within us. The Risen Christ spreads his reign of Love in the hearts that choose him. As a Good Shepherd, he inspires us, so that we may follow him in a great movement of new Love that leads us to the Father.

Jesus opens up to the liberty of his own life, a life he gives generously so that his True Life may be in us.

In this way Jesus manifests the Love of the Father who gives his Son to Mary. She recognises in the night of faith that He is her Good ’Shepherd’ and that she has Infinite Trust in Him.