12.05.2025
Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

The Shepherd, the Door, the Gatekeeper, the sheep
Jesus says that He is the Shepherd… and… well…, the Door.

Once-upon-a-time, during one of my employments, a man used to come to my desk. While I worked on him, he often justified the purpose for the work he was doing: “I am a king”, he used to say, but 'they' keep fighting me. They want to kill me. He was confident about his statements. I do not recall having much opinion in his declarations, but I used to attend to him without questioning much either. He came from the western region of the country.

“I am the Good Shepherd,” Jesus says in John 10:14; He also says in verse 7, “I am the Door”. Perhaps He also passes for the Gatekeeper as well. Incidentally, to-date, the Jews still await the Messiah. Now, how is it possible to recognise the 'Good Shepherd'?

In the past weeks surrounding Easter, Jesus emphasises how to believe in Him, as a condition for salvation, John 10:38. What seems central is the belief in Him, in His Name and in His works, because in any case while we see Him, we have already seen the Father John 14:9.

In Luke 9:49-50 (and Mark 9:38-40): We recognise that it does not matter who presents Christ: “John spoke up. 'Master,' he said, 'we saw someone driving out devils in your name, and because he is not with us, we tried to stop him.' But Jesus said to him, 'You must not stop him: anyone who is not against you is for you.'”

Who or what then, are the obstacles to our salvation? Anything that does not point us to Christ, is a thief and robber. How, then, can we trust that someone is not a thief or robber?

May the peace of Christ be upon us!

God bless you!