In the Gospel today, Jesus says, "Anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand." Therefore, the official and proper way to enter the sheepfold or Kingdom of God is through the gate who is Jesus. For Jesus maintains that, besides being the shepherd, He is also the gate through Whom everyone who enters will be safe, have freedom and will be able to find pasture. All others are brigands or thieves who only want to steal and kill and destroy.

We are decent people. We don't want to steal and kill and destroy. We want to do things the proper way, that is, we want to live our lives founded on the person who loves us. That person is Jesus Christ, the One Who wants to give us life so that we may have life to the full.

The followers in the first reading who accepted the Word of God were included in the salvation of God. They too received the Holy Spirit just like the believers of Jewish descent. There is no distinction between them. They entered through the gate like everyone else. Let us be thankful for such a privilege, like them, for we too entered the Kingdom through the same gate.