Jesus of Nazareth

Last night I finished Pope Benedict XVI's Jesus of Nazareth. I wrote "part one" of my "review" a few months ago!

And then, because I've got a little bit of ADD when it comes to reading books (I can't seem to focus on only ONE at a time!) I then put it down. Not because I didn't enjoy it but rather a few other topics came up that I wanted to read about.

And then when Pope Benedict came to America, I became fascinated reading his speeches and then picked up his book again. As I finished the last few chapters I felt like since I had seen the Pope on TV every day for a week, I knew him better. And that really brought a lot to my reading. I felt like I knew him better so I felt like I understood him better.

One of the parts that I read just after he had left the US last week was about Jesus the Good Shepherd. It reminded me of the fact that OUR Shepherd was just here. That we too have a shepherd leading us and guiding us towards Jesus Christ.

The Pope is talking about Jesus as the Shepherd and then about the first Pope, Saint Peter. And what the Pope wrote about Saint Peter can be said about every Pope. And especially our current Pope.

I could write pages about this book but I won't. Instead I'll leave with the Pope's words about Saint Peter and then go and pray for our Pope and all the priests who so devoutly lead their flocks to Jesus....because the flock that each pastor and bishop has been given is Jesus' flock, not his own.

"It is because he (Saint Peter) comes through the "door," Jesus, it is because he come to them united with Jesus in love, that the sheep listen to his voice, the voice of Jesus himself--they are following not Simor, but Jesus, from whom and through whom Simon comes to them, so that when he leads them it is Jesus himself who leads."