Dear friends, let us return to the words of Jesus in today\u2019s Gospel. I believe that they contain a special message for you, his faithful flock in these lands where he once dwelt. \u201cThe good shepherd\u201d\u009d, he tells us, \u201clays down his life for his sheep.\u201d\u009d At the beginning of this Mass, we asked the Father to \u201cgive us new strength from the courage of Christ our shepherd\u201d\u009d, who remained steadfast in fidelity to the Father\u2019s will (cf. Opening Prayer, Mass of the Fourth Sunday of Easter). May the courage of Christ our shepherd inspire and sustain you daily in your efforts to bear witness to the Christian faith and to maintain the Church\u2019s presence in the changing social fabric of these ancient lands.<\/p>\n
Fidelity to your Christian roots, fidelity to the Church\u2019s mission in the Holy Land, demands of each of you a particular kind of courage: the courage of conviction, born of personal faith, not mere social convention or family tradition; the courage to engage in dialogue and to work side by side with other Christians in the service of the Gospel and solidarity with the poor, the displaced, and the victims of profound human tragedies; the courage to build new bridges to enable a fruitful encounter of people of different religions and cultures, and thus to enrich the fabric of society. It also means bearing witness to the love which inspires us to \u201clay down\u201d\u009d our lives in the service of others, and thus to counter ways of thinking which justify \u201ctaking\u201d\u009d innocent lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am the good shepherd; I know my own, and my own know me\u201d\u009d (Jn 10:14). Rejoice that the Lord has made you members of his flock and knows each of you by name! Follow him with joy and let him guide you in all your ways. Jesus knows what challenges you face, what trials you endure, and the good that you do in his name. Trust in him, in his enduring love for all the members of his flock, and persevere in your witness to the triumph of his love.<\/p>\n