12/12/2013
A few days after healing the man born blind , Jesus speaks to the inhabitants of Jerusalem , presenting himself as the good shepherd , a symbol often encountered in the writings of the Old Testament. Thus, in the book of the prophet Ezekiel, in the head . 24 , 23, is symbolically prefigured person Savior God promised the people and the world : " I will place over them one shepherd , he shall feed them : he shall feed them and He shall be their shepherd ..." . We must remember that one who is described as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John I, 29 ) is also a pastor , these metaphors make sense having understood , lived , accepted the mystery of the Incarnation and coming its between people .
This presentation and commitment to face the good Shepherd has a historical and cultural tradition that goes up to the old Assyrian- Babylonian civilization , where the king is always presented as one who shepherds , feeding the people entrusted to him . The image of a shepherd was not foreign nomadic Hebrew people , with a cargo historic grazing , where their livelihood. Abraham the patriarch comes to God's call to Canaan with Lot, his nephew , with countless herds (Gen. 13 , 7) . David , the king of which is linked to the glorious period of the dynasty, is chosen and called by God, being taken from the flock (I Kings 16 , 11) . Thus in Psalm 22 , 1-4, David confesses that " the Lord is the shepherd who feed it back to the pasture and will lead that walk among you and will not fear death bad " .
In the era of the prophet Jeremiah , he notes with sorrow that besides the good herdsmen and shepherds crept unworthy losers and destroy the sheep flock. " Woe to the shepherds who lose and scatter the sheep of the flock , thus saith the LORD God of Israel by shepherds grazing on the people of Israel : " you have scattered my flock my flock , you have scattered and you have not kept , therefore you I will punish you for your evil deeds ' " (Jeremiah 23 : 1-2) .
Good Shepherd came into the world "do not cry , nor commands to the sheep obey him recognizing his voice , he calling each one by name leading them to springs of the water of eternal life" (Rev. 7 , 17). Unlike other shepherds, sheep listen and follow the Shepherd , because He knows the secrets of every soul, turmoil and unrest , but also the desire of life and immortality. In this short parable, Jesus Saviour suggestive summarizes the mysterious , dynamic and direct the formation of the Church , because the sheep of the fold out aims to find food to maintain life, here Jesus speaks symbolically decisive moment of breaking the law and stepping past to dynamic time wanderings the ark , the church , for eternal life . Being oriented toward eternity , the good shepherd with his flock will be always in a state of opposition, conflict with the representatives of the world and will want to exceed the limits of space and time.
For this reason we see direct opposition to call Saviour of his birth until today . Indifference , disbelief , hostility , direct combat or concealed on his teaching , his Church are trajectories that cross two millennia of Christianity and subjected exams hit hard, but the triumphant victor in the struggle with error overshadowed by dark forces of evil. Mystery of the Church and Shepherd is revealed as a parable for the time she had arrived historical reality , therefore he explains thus : " I am the door of anyone enters through me will be saved (10, 9) , " I am the way " (John 14 , 6 ) , wishing to suggest that humanity only in direct connection with Him can earn eternal life .
Usually indicates the access door to something in order to achieve a goal, the pastor is the one that leads to that goal . Saviour Christ is the door as it open to all who believe in Him and confess to the life and works arising from a living faith , integrating them into his church , where he feeds , defend , protect and watch over them . The absence of the pastor determines destruction and waste , therefore , Holy night , announcing , providing disaster that follows blows receives the good shepherd : " You all you offended in me this night : for it is written, I Beat shepherd and sheep of the flock shall be scattered " (Matt. 26, 31 ) .