“I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep” (Jn 10:14-15).
What a great perspective the Lord offers to His own! Our relationship with Him is like the intimate union between Jesus and the Father. There is no greater love than that between the Father and the Son, and this love is the Holy Spirit Himself. We human beings can be partakers of this intra-Trinitarian love. In our intimate relationship with the Saviour the mystery of love between the Divine Persons is reflected. It is also made effective.
When Jesus says that He knows His own, He means that He sees the heart of each one of us. He knows whether it is open or closed to the Father. He knows that we love Him, as Peter confessed to the Risen Lord on the Sea of Galilee when He asked him three times if he loved Him: “Lord, you know that I love you” (Jn 21:15-17).
Jesus knew that Peter loved Him and Peter knew that Jesus loved him. Although Peter had denied Him three times at the risk of his life, he truly loved the Lord. His heart belonged to Jesus, just as Jesus’ Heart belonged to Peter.
This is a fundamental characteristic of those who belong to Jesus. They are bound to Him by love. And through the Holy Spirit, this love becomes a holy love, which permeates our human love and makes it a sign of belonging to God.
Here we encounter the mystery of the divine love between the heavenly Father and His Son. In it love shines forth in all its heavenly perfection and beauty.
Even in our creaturely condition, divine love can inflame our hearts and lead us by grace to perfect love. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 Jn 4:18a).