Faith is a life of friendship, of communion with the Lord: Commentary Fr. Jorge Miró

Father Jorge Miró shares with Exaudi readers his commentary on today’s Gospel, Sunday, April 21, 2024, titled “Faith is a life of friendship, of communion with the Lord”

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The fourth Sunday of Easter is that of the Good Shepherd: Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep, who gives his life for them, who knows them and is known by them.

This comparison makes us understand simply and profoundly what is the relationship that Jesus Christ wants to have with you.

Faith is not a theory, nor an ideology: it is a life, a life of friendship, of communion with the Lord. Benedict XVI says that one begins to be a Christian through the encounter with an event, with a Person, who gives a new horizon to life (cf. DCE 1).

When one truly welcomes the Gospel, when one encounters Jesus Christ, one’s life changes. Not by one’s effort, but by the action of the Holy Spirit in the heart of man.

Because Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd. He is the teacher and the Lord. He is the way, the truth and the life.

Jesus Christ is the cornerstone, no one else can save: I am the door: whoever enters through me will be saved and will be able to come in and out, and will find pasture. Do not look for life in idols, you will not find it there.

We are the sheep. That is, we must follow the Shepherd, we must listen to his voice, with meekness, with docility, with trust, obeying the Shepherd. Without hearing the voice of strangers…

How is your relationship with Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd? Do you hear his voice? Are you docile to his word, to his teaching? Do you listen more to the voice of strangers than to the voice of Jesus Christ? Who do you listen to every day when it comes to living, making decisions?

We must have an attitude of meekness, letting ourselves be led by the Good Shepherd, even if sometimes we do not understand him, but always trusting in the one who we know loves us more than anyone else and wants happiness and eternal life for us.

Furthermore, Jesus Christ has entrusted the Church with the mission of shepherding the flock of the People of God.

It is the Pope, and the Bishops in communion with Him, who have to shepherd the flock. Priests also participate in this mission to the extent that they are collaborators of the Bishops and receive the pastoral mission from them, and also the laity to the extent that they receive from the Church the mission to participate in the pastoral task (cf. Catechism, 910s).

Therefore, we must ask ourselves if we are listening to the voice of the Church, if we are in communion with it, if we are docile to its teaching.

We must also ask the Lord to give us shepherds according to his heart, to raise up among us brave young people, capable of accepting the challenge of giving themselves totally for Jesus Christ in the mission of caring for and guiding the flock.

We must also ask ourselves today how we are living our pastoral mission, those of us who have some responsibility for others: priests, parents, godparents, teachers, catechists, educators.

Do you live disoriented? Who do you listen to every day? Do you follow the Shepherd? Do you really want to follow him? Cheer up! Even if you are far away, the Shepherd loves you, he waits for you, he looks for you… Let yourself be found and follow him! It’s worth it! Dare yourself! The Good Shepherd, who loves you more than anyone, wants the best for you.

Come, Holy Spirit!