The INTIMATE FRIENDSHIP OF SHEPHERD WITH HIS SHEEP: "MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE AND I KNOW THE, AND THEY FOLLOW ME "

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Just like in a journey of transhumance, each of us is called to be sheep of the flock of Jesus, namely that we are called to live as believers in the Church of Jesus. As believers, First we hear His Voice: Jesus speaks to us in the Word of God and by the shepherds, in particular it does today through the Catholic official teaching of the Church expressed by the Successor of Peter and the College of the Apostles, called to guard intact and therefore spread the deposit of faith.

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Dear brothers and sisters,

probably all know poetry Pastors in G. D'Annunzio:

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"September, here we go. It is time to migrate / Now in the land of the Abruzzi my shepherds lascian the pens and go towards the sea / fall wild green Adriatic that is how the mountain pastures ".

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An image of pastoralism, transhumance, that is, the path to the wilderness and into the hills that give serenity, rest and sense of completeness.

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This image towards a much sought peace, maybe we lost: a powder’ because we live in town with lights and sounds that distract us, a powder’ because we do not understand the idea of ​​a journey that, After so many efforts, It may instead give us a lot of satisfaction. But it, this sheep, You can make us delve into readings of this Sunday.

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In the Acts of the Apostles [cf. 13, 46] we read how Paul and Barnabas are turning to the Jews:

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"It was necessary that it was proclaimed first of all to you the word of God, Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, here: we turn to the Gentiles ".

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The two Apostles direct the proclamation of eternal life overcoming the Jewish presence and paying attention to the pagans, who were Romans and Greeks, with a culture steeped in Hellenistic philosophy. The message of Christ then comes out of the "fence" Judeo, showing how the Christian message is not related to a single people or nation. The message of Jesus is universal: all we are called to eternal life. This involves entering into a greater love, that of the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit, for eternity.

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The call to eternal life awaits a response from us. The Lord also leaves us free to refuse it, as did the Jews in the text of Acts we heard. But if we respond positively, We can now understand how to get to eternal life.

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The Gospel gives us a clear answer on along the path towards this goal. We read in Saint John:

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«My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me " [cf. 10, 27].

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Just like in a journey of transhumance, each of us is called to be sheep of the flock of Jesus, namely that we are called to live as believers in the Church of Jesus. As believers, First we hear His Voice: Jesus speaks to us in the Word of God and by the shepherds, in particular it does today through the Catholic official teaching of the Church expressed by the Successor of Peter and the College of the Apostles, called to guard intact and therefore spread the deposit of faith.

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We hear the voice of Jesus when we intimately our Catholic teaching: believe in the truths of faith, live the precepts of morality or engage in moments of prayer will become a listening experience that will open your heart to His Great Love. God comes into our soul and with Him every moment of daily life will become a joy.

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In second place, As believers we follow Jesus: especially we follow in hard moments of our lives, knowing that the first to have labored for us carrying the Cross on Golgotha. To follow Jesus is to know that even when the miseries of life seem to move deep on the shoulders, He will support us in.

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From listening and following Jesus, is that the fact that we know Him: This word in the original language indicates a profound intimacy, almost hand to hand with God. This body intimate contact to the body we experience whenever we live the Eucharist, which in fact it is a foretaste of eternal life, a great friendship with God. And just about the friendship scriveva Susanna Tammaro:

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"Friendship is one of the best feelings to live. Suddenly we see ourselves, you choose, it builds a kind of intimacy ".

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May the Lord grant us his friendship to enter into eternal life, in an intimacy that gives endless joy and ability to grasp the deep meaning of every day.

Amen.

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Rome, 12 May 2019

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