Photo: Ian Britton, FreeFoto.com
In Sunday's gospel there was a hint about what Jesus would teach to clarify some of the challenges odf his earlier teachings, especially the complexity of the Eucharist.
In the figure of speech used by Jesus in today's gospel to describe the relationship between the shepherd and his sheep, the disciples "did not realize what he was trying to tell them." He tries even a second time with "I am the gate for the sheep."
We, too, may miss the point because we may not have exprienced the work of a shepherd who takes his charges out of an enclosure, a sheep pen, to a grazing site. Imagine a gate: it keep within but when opened it affords the opportunity to graze in a pasture.
Photo: Freefoto.com Ian Britton
So with Jesus expressing himself as "I am the gate ..." he opens up a different world, a different experience. He words can be understood toady as "I am hope for you." "I am the experience that will lead you to true freedom." Through the teaching of Jesus we can come in and out of our encounter with God each day as well as with our neighbors. Even in difficult circumstances, if we have truly come to know Jesus, if we have nurtured a personal relationship with him, we will hear his voice. Even in frustration and loss, we will recognize him seeking to lead us. Jesus came to us once as a man at a specific time in world history. But that same gate is there for us almost two centuries later.
We might ask ourselves "Do I recognize his voice in others or in other events?" If I do not, the next question to be faced and answered is "Why not?"
