Reflection for May 12 Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter: John 10:1-10

Gospel: 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 he 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, they 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.”

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Reflection:

There’s a story of a mother who worked day and night to provide for her three children. Life wasn’t easy, but she gave her all—not only in supporting them, but in teaching them about God. She helped them understand that life has deeper meaning when it’s rooted in faith. In time, all three children became successful, not just in worldly terms, but as grounded, faithful individuals. And it all began with a mother who shepherded them well. 

Jesus wants nothing but the best for us as well. This is why He patiently shepherds us. His ultimate goal is for us to live our lives according to His will. However, many of us still veer away from the shepherding of Jesus. 

So, what happens when we stray from the Lord’s shepherding? We labor endlessly for the things of this world—temporal things that amount to nothing in the end, for the simple reason that they cannot truly satisfy us. 

In our Gospel, Jesus tells us: “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture” (John 10:9). If only we would deeply reflect on this statement of the Lord, we would realize that it is only through Him—and through His shepherding—that we can find the real meaning of life. 

Would you allow Jesus to shepherd your life from here on? — Marino J. Dasmarinas