I am the gate!

Listening to the Spirit

Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd. You know each of us and call us by name. Help us to respond generously to your voice by opening our hearts to discern your holy will. We pray especially for those whom you are calling to serve the church as priests, deacons, sisters, and brothers. Give courage and guidance to all, so that we may respond to your call and serve you devoutly.

Listening to the Word

John 10:1-10

Jesus said: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers." Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them. So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly."

Reflection

I am the Gate! Jesus identifies Himself with this image. We know the function of a gate: it allows someone to enter, or it prevents them from passing through. Therefore, the gate plays an important role in our lives—it helps us avoid relationships that could be dangerous and lead us astray, instead of helping us grow. In the same way, Jesus plays an important role in our lives. He does not force us, but He invites us to be careful, to open our eyes, and to guard our hearts and ears, which are sometimes captured by “wrong” voices.

We remember Jesus in the desert, facing temptation. He closed the door to Satan and chose to open the door to God, even though the devil’s proposal was very appealing. Evil often disguises itself as good, offering something that seems pleasant and easy: Do this and you will be happy! Masaya ka na kung gagawin mo ang bagay na ito. Marelax ka na… huwag mag-alala… walang kasamahan sa bagay na ito. Walang mali dito… pero naligaw ka na! You find yourself lost and in a heavy situation.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, calls His sheep by name, and He calls them out. On this Sunday, we are praying for Vocation, especially to consecrated life. I was graced to be “called by name” to follow Him. Together with the surprise there was much fear. When I met the Xaverian Missionaries, I was attracted to this life, especially by their ideal of making “the world one single Family in Christ”. Still, I resisted, because to consecrate my life to Him meant leaving not only my family but even the desire to have my own. But I trusted Him, that voice and I was able to leave my country, knowing that I was pouring my life into safe hands.
Maybe you are not called to live a consecrated life as I do, but you are called by Him to step out, to let go of certain habits and securities, and to follow Him along new paths you may never have imagined. It is beautiful to see how Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has led some couples into experiences they never expected. Some discovered a call to serve Him not only in their parishes but even beyond their country. Others felt moved to adopt special children, even though they already had their own, as a sign that the Lord truly calls us to journeys we could never have imagined.

We are all called to trust Him, the Good Shepherd, and to serve our brothers and sisters with the same spirit, never forgetting that suffering, persecution, and humiliation will always be part of the journey. He was not spared from them, and it is the same for us who are willing to follow Him.