The mirabilia of the Good Shepherd. In the history of Israel, there are many references to the mirabilia Dei, the great wonders that God worked for his people. It is also valid to speak of the mirabilia Boni Pastoris. Let us look at some such wonders indicated in the liturgical texts.

1) I know my sheep. The communitarian and social nature of faith in no way diminishes the personal nature of the relationship between the Good Shepherd and each one of his sheep. "Knowing" in the Hebrew language also implies "loving", wanting the good of the person, feeling affection for that person. In other words, one can get to "know" another person only within the realm of a close personal relationship. When people are "known" by Jesus Christ in such a way, they also enter the world of Jesus Christ’s closeness, they listen to him with attention and follow him with faithfulness, joy and gratitude. In the Gospel according to John, on the other hand, knowing is almost equivalent to believing. Jesus Christ has confidence in, he trusts, his sheep because he loves them and feels loved by them. And above all, the sheep trust Christ, and recognize him as their Lord and Savior.

2) I give you eternal life. The greatest gift that God has given us is life. But this life lasts only a few years, after which… Will death overcome us? Will we go back to the nothingness from which God took us when he created us? This is a question that finds its answer in the risen Christ. He is the Lord of Life, the Living One. And since he is the Lord of Life, he may dispose of it and give it to those who love and trust him. Christ lets us share in his very life, the life that is not subject to the dominion of death: eternal life. In the Book of Revelation we read, "The Lamb (the dead and risen Christ) who is at the heart of the throne will be their shepherd and will guide them to springs of living water!" Eternal life is the same life as that of Christ, which is already present in us through baptism and grace, and will acquire its fullness in the hereafter of our earthly existence. Since our earthly life is a precious gift of the Father, eternal life is a wonderful gift of the risen Christ.

3) No one can take them away from me. No human, angelic or diabolical power is above the power of the risen Christ, a power he has received from the almighty Father. To want to take Jesus Christ’s sheep from him would be tantamount to taking them away from God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It would be absurd! People may make a clean break with this life, but they cannot snatch eternal life from God’s hands. As the Catechism teaches us, angels are at the service of God: "With their whole beings, the angels are servants and messengers of God" (CCC 329), and at the service of man, "From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession" (CCC 336).

Finally, although the devil is a powerful figure, for he is a pure spirit, he cannot prevent the building up of the Kingdom of God, he cannot take God’s sheep away, because "the power of Satan is, nonetheless, not infinite" (CCC 395). We alone, with our freedom, can escape from Christ’s flock and flee from the Father’s good hands. The text of the Acts of the Apostles bears witness to this: "When they saw the crowds, the Jews, filled with jealousy, used blasphemies to contradict everything Paul said." What tremendous power is the power of freedom, that can render useless the mirabilia of the Good Shepherd!

P. Antonio Izqeuirdo, L.C., © Dicastery for the Clergy

Do not be afraid of the Good Shepherd! The mystery of Christ goes beyond the human mind. For this reason, the New Testament resorts to many figures and symbols to express some of its infinite richness. We are told about Christ the teacher and prophet, God and Lord, light and life, alpha and omega, the Savior and Emmanuel, etc. One of the sweetest names of Christ is the Good Shepherd. It is a name that children like very much, and that in no way is displeasing to adults, because the allegory of the Good Shepherd in the Gospel according to John is the equivalent of the parable of the prodigal son in the Gospel according to Luke. Who can possibly be afraid of Christ, the Good Shepherd, if the only thing he seeks and worries about is our greatest good? It’s true that some truths of our faith may seem difficult to us, but do not be afraid of difficulties, for the Good Shepherd will help you to understand them a bit more, to accept them with love and joy, like a magnificent gift, and especially to live them out with passion and self-giving. Some moral teachings of Christianity may be difficult to accept, harsh, they may go against the natural flow of things, but the Good Shepherd, who feeds you with such truths, will give you the strength to assimilate them and put them into practice in your daily life. Sometimes you may go astray or you may grow weak on the path of life, but do not be afraid to go back to Christ, for he will carry you on his shoulders and will be happy to have you back. Do not be afraid! The Good Shepherd is ready for anything, because he loves you, because he wants what is good for you.

P. Antonio Izqeuirdo, L.C., © Dicastery for the Clergy