Daily Gospel Reflection
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May 9, 2022
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 the shepherd 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,
the Pharisees 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.”
We know today’s gospel passage well. Later in John’s Gospel Jesus says “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (JN 14:6) We understand that the way to salvation is through Jesus and that there is no other way to the Father. Simple instructions—just follow the Jesus Road.
But just because it is simple doesn’t mean that it is easy. We all stumble. We all take an occasional wrong turn. Some who we meet along the way steer us in the right direction. Others do the opposite. On the high-stakes journey of life that we travel only once, it makes sense to find and remain with the first group, not the second.
Although this was not consciously on my mind, I must have had an inkling of this idea in my 20s when the Holy Spirit inspired me to add a “Hail Mary” to my communion prayers at Mass. I prayed that the woman I would one day marry would improve my chances of getting to Heaven. It became a routine part of my prayer life for several years.
The Lord eventually answered through my wife, Susan. We are far from perfect, but together we are stronger than we would otherwise be by ourselves. Desiring to hand down this blessed communion and recognizing that we are stronger through our shared faith, we pray for our family every day.
After four children, one son-in-law, and one grandson, my communion prayer list has grown. It now includes thanksgiving prayers for our whole family, including spouses already found, plus future grandchildren and spouses.
We know that Jesus is the gate. Let us pray that those we encounter on the path will point us toward the gate. Pray also that we will do the same for others because the line, “Thy will be done,” from the Lord’s prayer not only requires our acknowledgment but also our active participation.
Prayer
Dear Lord, you know each of us by name, our inmost being, our true self. We have tried for a long time to recognize your voice. Once we hear and recognize it, we feel a sense of joy—we are uplifted. Of course you know us. You created us. You are with us. You are our Shepherd and how we love to hear your voice when you draw near. Then indeed we know that we are safe. We are in your care. What can be more comforting?
Saint of the Day
Though St. Anthony the Great is credited as the father of monasticism, St. Pachomius was the first to organize Christian communities around a common rule of life.
Pachomius was born in 292 in Upper Egypt, and at the age of 20 he was conscripted to the emperor’s army. He was transported down the Nile river with other recruits for training, and they traveled in terrible conditions. When they stopped at a small river town during their journey, Christians there showed them great kindness. Their charity deeply touched Pachomius.
As soon as he was able to leave the army, he made his way to a Christian church and began learning the faith as a catechumen. He was baptized and dedicated himself to finding every possible way to cooperate with the new grace he had received.
He learned of a hermit living in the desert, and he sought him out and asked to follow him. Pachomius promised the man obedience and they lived under great discipline and austerity—they ate only bread and salt, and practiced praying through the night.
Pachomius heard a call to establish a new monastery in a nearby region, and had a vision of an angel who instructed him on how to organize it. In 318, he constructed a small cell there and began his work.
The first to join him there was his brother, John, and others followed. Soon more than 100 lived together. He led them mainly by example, but allowed everyone to participate in their pursuit of holiness according to their ability.
The movement grew, and he eventually founded eight other monasteries, including one for women, which included his sister. Even in the face of false accusations, he displayed heroic humility and patience, and was known for miraculous healings.
Pachomius died in 348 of a disease that killed a number of other monks. At the time of his death, some 3,000 monks were living in his monasteries. His rule of life greatly influenced St. Benedict, who formed the trunk from which most branches of monasticism grew in the west.
St. Pachomius, you pioneered a path towards holiness through the practice of community, pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Pachomius is available for use under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Last accessed March 6, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
