From: Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26
Lamentation Over Rebellious Children (Continuation)
(Thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:) [19] “Yea, O people in Zion
who dwell at Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to
you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. [20] And
though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet
your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Tea-
cher. [21] And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way,
walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
[23] “And he will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and grain,
the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. In that day your cat-
tle will graze in large pastures; [24] and the oxen and the asses that till the
ground will eat salted provender, which has been winnowed with shovel and fork.
[25] And upon every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks run-
ning with water, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. [26] More-
over the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun
will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord binds up
the hurt of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.”
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Commentary:
30:1-33. The fourth lamentation is aimed at those who waste their time in a vain
search for Egyptian help against the Assyrians; they should be counting on God
and relying completely on him. It begins by warning them that they are going to
be punished, but then the tone changes, to the point that we are told that God
is going to be kind to his people and will show them what they must do to free
themselves from the Assyrian threat (vv. 18-33).
To begin with (vv 1-17), the main point being made is that it is sheer rebellion, it
makes no sense, to draw up plans that don’t take account of God: it makes no
sense to seek protection from Egypt; it is too weak to help anyone. The Lord de-
nounces the distrust of God implicit in overtures to Egypt (vv. 1-7). The prophet
must warn the people who obstinately refuse to obey God’s Law and have no
time for prophets (vv. 8-11): an alliance with Egypt (vv. 12-14) will lead to disaster;
it is progressively described as troublesome or dangerous (v. 6), worthless (v. 7),
and absolutely perverse (vv. 12-14). They could have avoided punishment if they
had had recourse to the Lord, but they have trusted in their own strength, thin-
king to find help in their allies’ horses (vv. 15-17). Zoan (Tanis) and Hanes (Hiera-
polis), mentioned in v. 4, are Egyptian cities in the Nile Delta (cf. the note on 19:
1-25). Rahab (v. 7) was a sea monster in Eastern mythology, and is sometimes
used as a name for Egypt (cf. Job 9:13; 26:12; Ps 87:4; 89:11).
The second part of the lamentation (vv. 18-33) consists of a number of oracles
which contain promises that Jerusalem will be delivered, and threats that Assy-
ria will be punished. It begins by describing how happy the people will be if they
turn back to their God (vv. 18-22). The Lord eagerly awaits their return, for he is
full of kindness and mercy towards those who trust in him (v. 18).
As soon as they return, they will enjoy great contentment — described here in
terms of a material abundance greater than anything they could imagine (vv. 23-
26). Assyria, on the other hand, will be severely punished by God (vv. 27-33).
The “Topheth” (v. 33, note t), literally “a burning place”, was the site in the valley
of Ben-Hinom (or Ge-ben-Hinnon, Gehenna) on the outskirts of Jerusalem where,
at one time, children were sacrificed to the Canaanite god Moloch (see the note
on Jer 7:21-8:3; cf. Jer 19:5; 32:35). It came to mean a place of damnation and
divine retribution for sinners. There the might of Assyria will meet its fate.
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
35. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages , teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
RABAN; Figuratively; as in the two blind men were denoted both nations, Jews and Gentiles, so in the man dumb and afflicted with die demon is denoted the whole human race.
HILARY; Or; by the dumb and deaf; and demoniac, is signified the Gentile world, needing health in every part; for sunk in evil of every kind, they are afflicted with disease of every part of the body.
REMIG; For the Gentiles were dumb; not being able to open their month in the confession of the true faith, and the praises of the Creator, or because in paying worship to dumb idols they were made like them. They were afflicted with a demon, because by dying in unbelief they were made subject to the power of the Devil.
HILARY; But by the knowledge of God the frenzy of superstition being chased away, the sight, the hearing and the word of salvation is brought in to them.
JEROME; As the blind receive light, so the tongue of the dumb is loosed, that he may confess Him whom before he denied. The wonder of the multitude is the confession of the nations. The scoff of the Pharisees is the unbelief of the Jews, which is to this day.
HILARY; The wonder of the multitude is followed up by the confession, It was never so seen in Israel; because he, for whom there was no help under the Law, is saved by the power of the Word.
REMIG; They who brought the dumb to be healed by the Lord, signify the Apostles and preachers, who brought the Gentile people to be saved before the face of divine mercy.
AUG; This account of the two blind men and the dumb demon is read in Matthew only. The two blind men of whom the others speak are not the same as these, though something similar was done with them. So that even if Matthew had not also recorded their cure, we might have seen that this present narrative was of a different transaction. And this we ought diligently to remember, that many actions of our Lord are very much like one another, but are proved not to be the same action, by being born related at different times by the same Evangelist. So that when we find cases in which one is recorded by one Evangelist, and another by another, and some difference which we cannot reconcile between their accounts, we should suppose that they are like, but not the same, events.
36. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
37. Then he said to his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few;
38. Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.
CHRYS; The Lord would refute by actions the charge of the Pharisees, who said, He casts out demons by the prince of demons; for a demon having suffered rebuke, does not return good but evil to those who have not shown him honor. But the Lord on the other hand, when He has suffered blasphemy and contumely, not only does not punish, but does not utter a hard speech, yea he shows kindness to them that did it, as it here follows, And Jesus went about all their to towns and villages. Herein He teaches us not to return accusations to them that accuse us but kindness. for he that ceases to do good because of accusation, shows that his good has been done because of men. But if for God's sake you do good to your fellow-servants, you will not cease from doing good whatever they do , that your reward may be greater.
JEROME; Observe how equally in villages, cities, and towns, that is to great as well as small, He preaches the Gospel, not respecting the might of the noble, but the salvation of those that believe. It follows, Teaching in their synagogues; this was His meat, going about to do the will of His Father, and saving by His teaching such as yet believed not.
GLOSS; He taught in their synagogues the Gospel of the Kingdom, as it follows, Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom.
REMIG; Understand, 'of God;' for though temporal blessings are also proclaimed, yet they are not called The Gospel. Hence the Law was not called a Gospel, because to such as kept. it, it held out not heavenly, but earthly, goods.
JEROME; He first preached and taught, an d then proceeded to heal sicknesses, that the works might convince those who would not believe the words. Hence it follows, Healing every sickness and every disease, for to him alone nothing is impossible.
GLOSS; By disease we may understand complaints of long standing, by sickness any lesser infirmity.
REMIG. It. should be known that those whom He healed Outwardly in their bodies, He also healed inwardly in their souls. Others cannot do this of their own power, but can by God's grace.
CHRYS; Nor does Christ's goodness rest here, but He manifests His care for them, opening the bowels of His mercy towards them; whence it follows, And seeing the multitudes, He had compassion upon them.
REMIG; Herein Christ shows in Himself the disposition of the good shepherd and not that of the hireling. Why He pitied them is added, Because they were troubled, and sick as sheep that have no shepherd - troubled either by demons, or by diverse sicknesses and infirmities.
GLOSS; Or, troubled by demons, and sick, that is, benumbed and unable to rise; and though they had shepherds, yet they were as though they had them not.
CHRYS; This is an accusation against the rulers of the Jews, that being shepherds they appeared like wolves; not only not improving the multitude, but hindering their progress. For When the multitude marveled and said, It was never so seen in Israel, these opposed themselves , saying, He casts out demons by the prince of the demons.
REMIG; But when the Son of God ,looked down from heaven upon the earth, to hear the groans of the captives, straight a great harvest began to ripen; for the multitude of the human race would never have come near to the faith, had not the Author of human salvation looked down from heaven; and it follows, Then said he unto his disciples, the harvest truly is great, butt the laborers are few.
GLOSS; The harvest are those men who can he reaped by the preachers, and separated from the number of the damned, as grain is beaten out from the chaff that it may be laid up in granaries.
JEROME; The great harvest denotes the multitude of the people; the few laborers, the want of instructors.
REMIG; For the number of the Apostles was small in comparison of so great. crops to be reaped. The Lord exhorts His preachers, that. is, the Apostles and their followers, that they should daily desire an increase of their number; Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.
CHRYS; He privately insinuates Himself to he the Lord; for it is He Himself who is Lord of the harvest. For if He sent the Apostles to reap what they had not sown, it is manifest that He sent them not to reap the things of others, but what He had sown by the Prophets. But since the twelve Apostles are the laborers, lie said, Pray the Lord of' the harvest, that he would send laborers into his harvest; and notwithstanding lie added none to their number, but rather He multiplied those twelve many times, not by increasing their numbers, but by giving them more abundant grace.
REMIG; Or, He then increased their number when He chose the seventy and two, and then when many preachers were made what time the Holy Spirit descended upon the believers.
CHRYS; He shows us that it is a great gift that one should have the power of rightly preaching, in that He tells them that they ought to pray for it. Also we are here reminded of the words of John concerning the threshing-floor, amid the fan, the chaff, and the wheat.
HILARY; Figuratively; when salvation was given to the Gentiles, then all cities and towns were enlightened by the power and entrance of Christ, and escaped every other sickness and infirmity. The Lord pities the people troubled with the violence of the unclean Spirit., and sick under the burden of the Law, and having no shepherd at hand to bestow on them the guardianship of the Holy Spirit. But of that gift there was a most abundant fruit., whose plenty far exceeded the multitude of those that drank thereof; how many ever take of it, yet an inexhaustible supply remains; and because it is profitable that there should be many to minister it, He bids us ask the Lord of the harvest, that God would provide a supply of reapers for the ministration of that gift of the Holy Spirit which was made ready; for by prayer this gift is poured out upon us from God.
1. And when he had called to him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
GLOSS; From the healing of Peter's wife's mother to this place there has been a continued succession of miracles; and they were done before the Sermon upon the Mount, as we know for certain from Matthew's call, which is placed among them; for he was one of the twelve chosen to the Apostleship upon the mount. He here returns to the order of events, taking it up again at the healing of the centurion's Servant; saying, And calling to him his twelve disciples.
REMIG; The Evangelist had related above that the Lord exhorted His disciples to pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into His vineyard; and He now seems to be fulfilling what He had exhorted them to. For the number twelve is a perfect number, being made up of the number six, which has perfection because it is formed of its own parts, one, two, three, multiplied into one another; and the number six when doubled amounts to twelve.
GLOSS; And this doubling seems to have some reference to the two precepts of charity, or to the two Testaments.
BEDE; For the number twelve , which is made up of thrice into four, denotes that through the four quarters of the world they were to preach the faith of the Holy Trinity.
RABAN; This number is typified by many things in the Old Testament; by the twelve sons of Jacob, by the twelve princes of the children of Israel, by the twelve running springs in Helim, by the twelve stones in Aaron's breastplate, by the twelve loaves of the show-bread, by the twelve spies sent by Moses, by the twelve stones of which the altar was made, by the twelve ,stones taken out of Jordan, by the twelve oxen which bare the brazen sea. Also in the New Testament, by the twelve stars in the bride's crown, by the twelve foundations of to Jerusalem which John saw, and her twelve gates.
CHRYS; He makes them confident not only by calling their ministry a sending forth to the harvest, but by giving then' strength cure for the ministry; whence it follows, He gave them power over all unclean spirits to cast fluent out, and to heal every sickness and every disease.
REMIG; Wherein is openly showed that the multitude were troubled not with one single kind of affliction, but with many, and this was His pity for the multitude, to give His disciples power to heal and cleanse them.
JEROME; A kind and merciful Lord and Master does not envy His servants and disciples a share in His powers. As Himself had cured every sickness and disease, He imparted the same power to His Apostles. But there is a wide difference between having and imparting, between giving and receiving. Whatever He does He does with the power of a master, whatever they do it is with confession of their own weakness, as they speak, In the name of Jesus rise and walk. A catalogue of the names of the Apostles is given, that all false Apostles might be excluded. The names of the twelve Apostles are these; First, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother. To arrange then in order according to their merit is His alone who searches the secrets of all hearts. But Simon is placed first, having the surname of Peter given to distinguish him from the other Simon surnamed Chananeus, from the village of Chana in Galilee where the Lord turned the water into wine.
5. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter not:
6. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7. And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely you have received, freely give.
GLOSS; Because the manifestation of the Spirit, as the Apostle speaks, is given for the profit of the Church, after bestowing His power on the Apostles, He sends them that they may exercise this power for the good of others; These twelve Jesus sent forth.
CHRYS; Observe the propriety of the time in which they are sent. After they had seen the dead raised, the sea rebuked, and other like wonders, and had had both in word and deed sufficient proof of His excellent power, then He sends them.
GLOSS; When He sends them, He teaches them whither they should go, what they shout and preach, and what they should do. And first, whither they should go; Giving them commandment, and saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter not; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
JEROME; This passage does not contradict the command which He gave afterwards, Go and teach all nations; for this was before His resurrection , that was after. And it was necessary the coming of Christ to be preached to the Jews first, that they might not have any just plea, or say that they were rejected of the Lord, who sent the Apostles to the Gentiles and Samaritans.
CHRYS; Also they were sent to the Jews first, in order that being trained in Judea, as in a palaestra, they might enter on the arena of the world to contend; thus He taught them like weak nestlings to fly.
GREG; Or He would be first preached to Judea and afterwards to the Gentiles, in order that the preaching of the Redeemer should seem to seek out foreign lands only because it had been rejected in His own. There were also at that time some among the Jews who should be called, and among the Gentiles some who were not to be called, as being unworthy of being renewed to life, and yet not deserving of the aggravated punishment which would ensue upon their rejection of the Apostles' preaching.
HILARY; The promulgation of the Law deserved also the first preaching of the Gospel; and Israel was to have less excuse for its crime, as it had experienced more care in being warned.
CHRYS; Also that they should not suppose that they were hated of Christ because they bad reviled Him, and branded Him as demoniac, lie sought first their cure, and withholding His disciples from all other nations, lie sent this people physicians and teachers; and not only forbid them to preach to any others before the Jews, but would not. that they should so much as approach the way that led to the Gentiles; Go not into the way of the Gentiles. And because the Samaritans, though more readily disposed to be converted to the faith, were yet at. enmity with the Jews, He would not suffer the Samaritans to be preached to before the Jews.
GLOSS; The Samaritans were Gentiles who had been settled in the hand of Israel by the king of Assyria after the captivity which he made. They had been driven by many terrors to turn to Judaism, and had received circumcision and the five books of Moses, but renouncing every thing else; hence there was no communication between the Jews and the Samaritans.
CHRYS; From these then He diverts his disciples, and sends them to the children of Israel, whom he calls perishing sheep, not straying; in every way contriving an apology for them, and drawing them to Himself.
HILARY; Though they are here called sheep, yet, they raged against Christ with the tongues of wolves and vipers.
JEROME; Figuratively herein we who bear the name of Christ are commanded not to walk in the way of the Gentiles, or the error of the heretics, but as we are separate in religion, we be also separate in our life.
GLOSS; Having told them to whom they should go, He now introduces what they should preach; Go and preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
RABAN; The kingdom of heaven is here said to draw nigh by the faith in the unseen Creator which is bestowed upon us, not by any movement of the visible elements. The saints are rightly denoted by the heavens, because they contain God by faith, and love Him with affection.
CHRYS; Behold the greatness of their ministry, behold the dignity of the Apostles. They are not to preach of any thing that can be an object of sense, as Moses and the Prophets did; but things new and unhooked for; those preached earthly goods, but these the kingdom of heaven and all the goods that are there.
GREG; Miracles also were granted to the that the power they should show might be a pledge of the truth of their words, and they who preached new things should also do new things; wherefore it follows, Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.
JEROME; Lest peasants untaught and illiterate, without the graces of speech, should obtain credit with none when they announced the kingdom of Heaven, He gives them power to do the things above mentioned, that the greatness of the miracles might approve the greatness of their promises.
HILARY; The exercise of the Lord's power is wholly entrusted to the Apostles, that they who were formed in the image of Adam, and the likeness of God, should now obtain the perfect image of Christ; and whatever evil Satan had introduced into the body of Adam, this they should now repair by Communion with the Lord's power.
GREG; These signs were necessary in the beginning of the Church; the faith of the believers must he fed with miracles, that it might grow.
CHRYS; But afterwards they ceased when a reverence for the faith was universally established. Or, if they were continued at all, they were few and seldom; for it is usual with God to do such things when evil is increased, then He shows forth His power.
GREG; The Holy Church daily does spiritually, what it then did materially by the Apostles; yea, things far greater, inasmuch as she raises and cures souls and not bodies.
REMIG; The sick are the slothful who have not strength to live well; the lepers are the unclean in sin and animal delights; the demoniacs are they that are given up under the power of the Devil.
JEROME; And because spiritual gifts are more lightly esteemed when money is made the means of obtaining them, He adds a condemnation of avarice; Freely you have received, freely give; I your Master and Lord have imparted these to you without price, do you therefore give them to others in like manner, that the free grace of the Gospel be not corrupted.
GLOSS; This He says, that Judas who had the bag might not use the above power for getting money; a plain condemnation of time abomination of the simoniacal heresy.
GREG; For He knew before that there would be some that would turn the gift of the Spirit which they had received into merchandise, and pervert the power of miracles into an instrument of their covetousness.
CHRYS; Observe how He is as careful that they should be upright in moral virtue, as that they should have the miraculous powers, showing that miracles without these are nothing, Freely you have received, seems a check upon their pride; freely give, a command to keep themselves pure from filthy lucre. Or, that what they should do might not be thought to be their own benevolence, He says, Freely you have received; as much as to say; you bestow nothing of your own on those you relieve; for you have not received these things for money, nor for wages of labor; as you have received them, so give to others; for indeed it is not possible to receive a price equal to their value.
Catena Aurea Matthew 9Catena Aurea Matthew 10
Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: White.
These are the readings for the feria
| First reading |
| Isaiah 30:19-21,23-26 © |
The Lord God will be gracious to you and hear your cry
Thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:
People of Zion, you will live in Jerusalem and weep no more. He will be gracious to you when he hears your cry; when he hears he will answer. When the Lord has given you the bread of suffering and the water of distress, he who is your teacher will hide no longer, and you will see your teacher with your own eyes. Whether you turn to right or left, your ears will hear these words behind you, ‘This is the way, follow it.’ He will send rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the bread that the ground provides will be rich and nourishing. Your cattle will graze, that day, in wide pastures. Oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat a salted fodder, winnowed with shovel and fork. On every lofty mountain, on every high hill there will be streams and watercourses, on the day of the great slaughter when the strongholds fall. Then moonlight will be bright as sunlight and sunlight itself be seven times brighter – like the light of seven days in one – on the day the Lord dresses the wound of his people and heals the bruises his blows have left.
| Responsorial Psalm |
| Psalm 146(147):1-6 © |
Happy are all who hope in the Lord.
or
Alleluia!
Praise the Lord for he is good;
sing to our God for he is loving:
to him our praise is due.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem
and brings back Israel’s exiles.
Happy are all who hope in the Lord.
or
Alleluia!
He heals the broken-hearted,
he binds up all their wounds.
He fixes the number of the stars;
he calls each one by its name.
Happy are all who hope in the Lord.
or
Alleluia!
Our Lord is great and almighty;
his wisdom can never be measured.
The Lord raises the lowly;
he humbles the wicked to the dust.
Happy are all who hope in the Lord.
or
Alleluia!
| Gospel Acclamation |
Is55:6 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Seek the Lord while he is still to be found,
call to him while he is still near.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Lord is our judge, the Lord our lawgiver,
the Lord our king and saviour.
Alleluia!
| Gospel |
| Matthew 9:35-10:1,5,6-8 © |
The harvest is rich but the labourers are few
Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.
And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’
He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: ‘Go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.’
These are the readings for the memorial
| First reading |
| Ephesians 3:8-12 © |
I, who am less than the least of all saints, have been entrusted with this special grace
I, Paul, who am less than the least of all the saints, have been entrusted with this special grace, not only of proclaiming to the pagans the infinite treasure of Christ but also of explaining how the mystery is to be dispensed. Through all the ages, this has been kept hidden in God, the creator of everything. Why? So that the Sovereignties and Powers should learn only now, through the Church, how comprehensive God’s wisdom really is, exactly according to the plan which he had had from all eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is why we are bold enough to approach God in complete confidence, through our faith in him.
| Responsorial Psalm |
| Psalm 88(89):2-5,21-22,25,27 © |
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord;
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.
Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever,
that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
I will establish your dynasty for ever
and set up your throne through all ages.
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
‘I have found David my servant
and with my holy oil anointed him.
My hand shall always be with him
and my arm shall make him strong.
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
‘My truth and my love shall be with him;
by my name his might shall be exalted.
He will say to me: “You are my father,
my God, the rock who saves me.”’
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
| Gospel Acclamation |
Jn10:14 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my own sheep and my own know me.
Alleluia!
The good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep
Jesus said:
‘I am the good shepherd:
the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.
The hired man, since he is not the shepherd
and the sheep do not belong to him,
abandons the sheep and runs away
as soon as he sees a wolf coming,
and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep;
this is because he is only a hired man
and has no concern for the sheep.
‘I am the good shepherd;
I know my own
and my own know me,
just as the Father knows me
and I know the Father;
and I lay down my life for my sheep.
And there are other sheep I have
that are not of this fold,
and these I have to lead as well.
They too will listen to my voice,
and there will be only one flock,
and one shepherd.’
