“I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me.” (Jn 10:14)

The prophet Ezekiel prophesied thus: “I will feed my sheep: and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost: and that which was driven away, I will bring again: and I will bind up that which was broken, and I will strengthen that which was weak, and that which was fat and strong I will preserve: and I will feed them in judgment.” (Ez 34:15–16)

“I will appoint one shepherd over them to pasture them, my servant David; he shall pasture them and be their shepherd.” (Ez 34:23)

Thus, ‘knowing’ encompasses ‘seeking’, ‘bringing again’, ‘binding up’, ‘strengthening’, ‘preserving’, and ‘feeding’.

As for the great love that God the Father has done for mankind (sending the Son to save us and the Holy Spirit to sanctify us), He has asked us for only one thing in return, that we be may be restored to our original holiness: “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

God created man in the image of the Trinity. So, when we live out mutual love, we are restored to our original holiness, and the first step in living a holy life is to strive to do the will of the Father.

And the second step is to memorize the word of God in our hearts, so that we can be able to live out the spirit of God’s word in our daily lives, as Jesus has comforted His disciples by telling them that when persecution comes, “do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. For the holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.” Trusting that Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves, let us then leave our worries upon God’s hands!