Today, surprisingly, the shepherd discourse does not begin with «I am the Good Shepherd», but with the image of the "door". Jesus provides the criterion for the shepherds of his flock: someone is a true shepherd when he enters through Jesus. Thus, Jesus Christ is still the Shepherd: the flock "belongs" to Him alone.

In John 21, the Lord asks three times to Simon-Peter: «Feed my lambs/sheep». He is being appointed for the same task of shepherd that belongs to Jesus. In order to perform it, he has to enter through the "door": «Simon, son of John, do you love me?». Christ is asking him about the "love" that makes him one with Jesus. So Peter comes to the sheep "through Jesus". Then the sheep hear the voice of Jesus and is Himself who leads them.

—Finally, Jesus says to Peter: «Follow me» (21,19). This implies the acceptance of the Cross, the willingness to give his own live. Precisely, in this way the words «I am the door» become tangible.