In this world, there are many shepherds who want us to follow them. They want us to follow them so they can take us to their chosen destination. They can be found on TV, in politics or on the internet. They make many promises to make us happy. They preach that we need money, a strong and beautiful body, lots of likes on our Facebook posts and a successful, selfish life. They teach that we can achieve happiness without commitment or suffering; they teach that resurrection can occur without death on the cross. But life does not work this way. Their promises are never fulfilled. True happiness and fulfilment come to us all if we follow Jesus.

Today's gospel tells us about Jesus, the Good Shepherd (cf. Jn 10:11). According to this Gospel, the Good Shepherd loves his sheep. The sheep know the shepherd and hear his words. The flock is a family united by trust in the Shepherd and his love for the sheep. They follow him because they want to be close to him and live where he lives. The Gospel also says that Jesus gives them life, a fulfilling life, and the possibility of being in communion with him forever. We all know that this new life comes at a great cost: the sacrifice on the cross. It is because of Jesus' suffering that we have achieved new life in him.

The purpose of the shepherd is to give life to the sheep and protect them. Although the shepherd is gentle, he must also be strong and powerful enough to defend the sheep from their enemies. As the Gospel says, 'No one will snatch them out of my hand.' Saint Paul asks, "Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword?" (Romans 8:35). God’s love is stronger than the power of the world, stronger than our sin and our frailty. It is stronger than evil.

Moreover, in the Gospel, Jesus said: 'I and the Father are one.' This means that the Father and the Son have the same mind, will, and love for us. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, lays down his life for the flock, but this is the Father's desire too. Through Jesus’ sacrifice we realize that the Father loves us immensely and we discover that we are all beloved children of this Father. Therefore, being in communion with Jesus, the Good Shepherd, means being in communion with the Father too and experiencing his infinite love. 

We are all grateful for the election of Pope Leo XIV. He has been appointed by the Holy Spirit as the church's shepherd. However, as he said in his inaugural address, he is also a sheep, walking alongside the other members of the Church and seeking Jesus' guidance together. His role is to show the church who to follow: Jesus, our true Shepherd. Before giving his final blessing, Francis' last words to the church were "Happy Easter!", meaning: “Believe in Christ! He is alive!” It is as if Francis said to the church: “Follow Him. He is our only true Shepherd. He is the only Shepherd who will not deceive us.” So, as we pray for the new pope Leo, we also promise to listen to Jesus's voice and get to know him better so that we can follow him faithfully. This is the most important thing we can do to support the Pope's work, and it is what today's gospel asks of us.