May 30, 2015
The Good Shepherd
A reading from the Gospel of Saint John 10, 1 – 21:
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 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 abundantly. I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.”
Again there was a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He is possessed and out of his mind; why listen to him?” Others said, “These are not the words of one possessed; surely a demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?”
Last night we had thunder and heavy rain for a short period but today it was sunny all day. It is getting warmer every day. Today the temperature was 25 degrees Celsius. We should have some rain on Sunday. I thank those who sent me money but I still need some more.
Below you will find the message of Our Dear Mother Mary given to Father Melvin. She spoke these words to him,
“I bless you My son Melvin and all My sons and daughters who listen to My Son Jesus as He teaches you through the Scripture. In the reading above He tells the Jews that He is their shepherd for they are the sheep. All those who believe in Him and follow Him are His sheep and He leads them. He is the gate of the sheepfold. His sheep all know Him and they follow Him but they would not follow a stranger. He told the Jews that He is ready to lay down his life for them and to take it up again. He told them that He has other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These too he will lead so that there will be only one flock and one shepherd. By this My Son meant that in the world there are different churches but He wants only one church and that is the church he founded. All the other Christians who do not belong to His Church, must leave their group and join the real group of My Son by entering His Church.
Come My sons and daughters who have left the Church of My Son, come and return to His Church. All who believe in Him must listen to Him and be part of the Sheepfold which is His Church. I bless you all.”
Father Melvin