Gospel: (J 10: 11-18)
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
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St. Faustina noted in her Diary (D. 367, 725, 1439)
My Heart is overflowing with great mercy for souls, especially for poor sinners. If only they could understand that I am the best of Fathers for them; that for them blood and water flowed out of My Heart, as from a spring full of mercy…
Let the Earth fall silent, You, O Jesus, speak to me, You know there is no other voice I understand, only Yours, O Good Shepherd. That desert is in my heart, and no creature has access to it. Only You are King in it.
In my inner self, I saw God looking on us with great pleasure. I was alone with the Heavenly Father. Suddenly, I had a deeper insight into the three Divine Persons, Whom we shall be contemplating for all eternity, and after millions of years we shall realise that we have just begun our contemplation. O, how great is the Divine mercy, that it admits Man to take such a tremendous part in Its Divine bliss, but at the same time, how deeply my heart is hurt because so many souls have spurned that bliss.
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- The Risen Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He wants to lead me into the arms of the heavenly Father who loves me with an infinite love.
- Do I try to listen to the voice of my Shepherd, who speaks to me every moment in the depths of my heart?
- I will ask the Holy Spirit for the grace of trusting and quieting my heart so that I can hear God’s voice …
