In addition to the title of Good Shepherd, Christ applies to himself the image of the door through which one enters the sheepfold, which is the Church. She "is a sheepfold whose only and obligatory door is Christ. It is also a flock of which God himself prophesied himself to be the Shepherd, and whose sheep, though led by human shepherds, are nevertheless guided and nourished continually by Christ himself, the Good Shepherd and Prince of shepherds, who gave his life for the sheep".
Jesus has ordained good shepherds in his Church so that in his name they may guard and guide his sheep.
Priests are good shepherds, especially in the administration of the sacrament of Penance, where they heal us of all our wounds and sicknesses. "Remember," said John Paul II, "that your priestly ministry (...) is ordered, in a particular way, to the great solicitude of the Good Shepherd, which is the solicitude for the salvation of every man (...), that men may have life, and have it in abundance, so that none may perish, but that they may have eternal life.
Every Christian should also be a good shepherd of his brothers and sisters, especially through fraternal correction, example and prayer. Let us often think that in some way we too are good shepherds of the people God has placed at our side. We have the obligation to help them - by example and prayer - to walk the path of holiness and to persevere in the correspondence to God's will.
The office of a good shepherd is an extremely delicate one: it demands much love and patience, courage, competence, gentleness, meekness, readiness of spirit24 and a great sense of responsibility. The neglect of this mission would cause very serious damage to the people of God: "the bad shepherd leads even the strong sheep to death" (1 Cor 5:16).
"Four are the conditions that the good shepherd must meet. In the first place, love: it was precisely charity that was the only virtue that the Lord demanded of Peter in order to entrust him with the care of his flock. Next, vigilance, to be attentive to the needs of the sheep. Thirdly, doctrine, in order to be able to nourish men until they are brought to salvation. And finally, holiness and integrity of life; this is the principal of all qualities."
It is incumbent upon all of us to pray insistently that good shepherds never be lacking in the Church. We should especially pray for those whom God has constituted as good shepherds for our souls.
Hablar con Dios