“Truth always shines with the brightness which belongs to it, while falsehood is wrapped in darkness; to dispel this darkness, it is enough to put falsehood in the presence of truth.” – St. Ignatius
Those of good will shall recognize the voice of the Shepherd when He speaks through His ministers, because as He says, “I know mine and mine know Me.” Beware of false pastors who no longer preach the Apostolic faith, but who instead, proclaim the diabolical error much in vogue these days, of a false, ecumenical indifferentism. Those who do so, are but ravenous wolves entering the house of God to devour the flock. They are everywhere!
AMEN, amen I say to you: He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up another way, the same is a thief and a robber.
I am the good shepherd; and I know mine, and mine know me. – John 10:14
Excerpts from a Sermon by St. Augustine
I preach Christ: were I preaching something else, I should be trying to climb up some other way. Christ, therefore, is my gate to you: by Christ I get entrance, not to your houses, but to your hearts.
[T]here are many who, according to a custom of this life, are called good people,—good men, good women, innocent, and observers as it were of what is commanded in the law; paying respect to their parents, abstaining from adultery, doing no murder, committing no theft, giving no false witness against any one, and observing all else that the law requires—yet are not Christians; and for the most part ask boastfully, like these men, “Are we blind also?” But just because all these things that they do, and know not to what end they should have reference, they do to no purpose, the Lord has set forth in today’s lesson the similitude of His own flock, and of the door that leads into the sheepfold. Pagans may say, then, “We live well”. If they enter not by the door, what good will that do them, whereof they boast? For to this end ought good living to benefit everyone, that it may be given him to live forever: for to whomsoever eternal life is not given, of what benefit is the living well? For they ought not to be spoken of as even living well, who either from blindness know not the end of a right life, or in their pride despise it. But no one has the true and certain hope of living always, unless he know the life, that it is Christ; and enter by the gate into the sheepfold.
The love our pastors should have for the flock entrusted to them by the Lord
You know what is meant by the ruler’s table: you there find the body and blood of Christ; let him who comes to such a table be ready with similar provision.[i.e., to reciprocate, to return love for love] And what is such similar provision? As He laid down His life for us, so ought we also, for the edification of others, and the maintenance of the faith, to lay down our lives for the brethren. To the same effect He said to Peter, whom He wished to make a good shepherd, not in Peter’s own person, but as a member of His body: “Peter, lovest thou me? Feed my sheep.” This He did once, again, and a third time, to the disciple’s sorrow. And when the Lord had questioned him as often as He judged it needful, that he who had thrice denied might thrice confess Him, and had a third time given him the charge to feed His sheep, He said to him, “When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shall be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” And the evangelist has explained the Lord’s meaning: “But this spake He, signifying by what death he should glorify God.” “Feed my sheep” applies, then, to this, that thou shouldst lay down thy life for my sheep.
We were saying that by Christ we have a door of entrance to you; and why? Because we preach Christ. We preach Christ; and therefore we enter in by the door….. Remember, then, how the Lord Jesus Christ is both the door and the Shepherd [of the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church].
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In spite of the turmoils tossing about the Barque of Peter, the darkness of apostasy throughout Christendom, the looming prospect of horrific wars, our faith assures us that Our Lord is still the Good Shepherd. Blessed are we to whom it has been given to enjoy a relationship of love in an encompassing intimacy with the Divinity!
God Shepherd, beloved of my soul,may I never be separated from Thee, but always abide in thy love!
