Pastors on earth

Jesus said: “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. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10: 1-10)

The happiness of both shepherds and the sheep is based on them getting to know each other again each time they are together. They do this by renewing and rediscovering the warmth shepherds have in guiding and the sheep in being guided, in shepherds safeguarding their sheep while the latter follow them. In Christ's parable, the shepherd is none other than Jesus who lets Himself be helped to guide the flock the shepherds on earth whom He has placed at the head of His Church. Let us pray constantly that the faith of our bishops and priests will never fail, so that they will reject the temptation and teach us the Word of God while influenced not by their own ideas but by those of Jesus.