Mary, as "helper" and "shepherdess"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today’s Gospel is one to hold close to our hearts!

Jesus said:
“My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one.” ( JN 10:27-30)

Mary our Mother heard these words and she saw how Jesus “tended His sheep”. Mary is not only His Mother, but He gave her to be our Mother, and so she continues with Him, to care for His sheep. He told John ( and all of us) from His Cross, “Behold your Mother”. In Mary, Mother and Model, the Church sees who we are to become by God’s Grace.

Hopefully, you will have time today to hear the whole of chapter 10 in John’s Gospel, listening, prayerfully, with great attention and devotion, as Mary did to the Voice of the Shepherd. Let us follow Him, Who is our Way, our Truth and our Life, as Mary followed Him on this earth, that we may live with Them in the Glory of our heavenly home forever. Always, by His Grace, may we live His Truth, so to give His Light to all around us.

Jesus, Good Sheperd, we trust in You!
Mary, our Mother and Model, pray for us.

 

[Jeanne_S]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today’s Gospel is one to hold close to our hearts!

Mary our Mother heard these words and she saw how Jesus “tended His sheep”. Mary is not only His Mother, but He gave her to be our Mother, and so she continues with Him, to care for His sheep. He told John ( and all of us) from His Cross, “Behold your Mother”. In Mary, Mother and Model, the Church sees who we are to become by God’s Grace.

Hopefully, you will have time today to hear the whole of chapter 10 in John’s Gospel, listening, prayerfully, with great attention and devotion, as Mary did to the Voice of the Shepherd. Let us follow Him, Who is our Way, our Truth and our Life, as Mary followed Him on this earth, that we may live with Them in the Glory of our heavenly home forever. Always, by His Grace, may we live His Truth, so to give His Light to all around us.

Jesus, Good Sheperd, we trust in You!
Mary, our Mother and Model, pray for us.

Amen!

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks, dear Jeanne S, for your “Amen”. Today’s Gospel continues to give us Jesus’ words on being a Good Shepherd, and once again we can appreciate Mary’s continuing role in God’s plan. Not only did she bring Jesus into the world physically at Bethlehem, but she continues to bring Him spiritually by her intercession and her example:

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.” – JN 10:1-10

When we listen, truly listen to Jesus’ words in Holy Scripture, we need to remember how Mary listened with attention and devotion:

And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. – Luke 2:19

…and His Mother kept all these things in her heart – Luke 2 : 51

Jesus told John and us from His Cross: “Behold your Mother”. I wonder how many of us pay enough attention to Jesus and Mary in our daily life, “reflecting in our hearts”.

Come Holy Spirit, kindle in us the Fire of Your Love even as you kindled the heart of Mary, our Mother.

Mary, Share with us your heart. Immaculate Heart of Mary, triumph in our hearts – help us to unite our Yes with Yours that Jesus may reign in our hearts and the hearts of all.

Jesus, I trust in You.