The Good Shepherd

Gospel

John 10:11-18

The good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep

Jesus said:

‘I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.

The hired man, since he is not the shepherd

and the sheep do not belong to him,

abandons the sheep and runs away

as soon as he sees a wolf coming,

and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep;

this is because he is only a hired man

and has no concern for the sheep.

‘I am the good shepherd;

I know my own

and my own know me,

just as the Father knows me

and I know the Father;

and I lay down my life for my sheep.

And there are other sheep I have

that are not of this fold,

and these I have to lead as well.

They too will listen to my voice,

and there will be only one flock,

and one shepherd.

‘The Father loves me,

because I lay down my life

in order to take it up again.

No one takes it from me;

I lay it down of my own free will,

and as it is in my power to lay it down,

so it is in my power to take it up again;

and this is the command I have been given by my Father.’

Reflection

Jesus speaks as the Good Shepherd who willingly lays down his life for his sheep. His love is not distant or abstract; it is concrete and deliberate. He knows each of us, calls us by name, and protects us not because of obligation, but because of intimate care. The contrast with the hired man exposes a genuine shepherd’s heart: shepherding is costly love, marked by steadfast presence even when danger arises. In Jesus, the flock finds unity—one voice, one flock, one shepherd—under the Father’s love and sovereign purpose.

Reflection Question

In what ways does Jesus’ willingness to lay down his life invite me to trust him more deeply with the risks, fears, and burdens I carry?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, our Good Shepherd, thank You for knowing us by name and laying down Your life for our sake. Help us to hear Your voice, follow You faithfully, and trust in Your unending care. Unite us as one flock under Your protection, and fill us with courage to love others as You love us. May Your life in us reveal the Father’s heart to the world. Amen.

Comments

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