It was said that Jesus was an excellent preacher because of three things:

• First, he spoke with authority. In other words, he had integrity and credibility.
• Second, he used stories and parables: Parable of the Sower, Parable of Weeds and Wheat, Parable of Kingdom of God, Parable of Mustard Seed, etc.
• Third, he used imagery that people were very familiar with. 

In the Gospel, Jesus often gave the imagery of God as a Good Shepherd. Certainly, people of that time had experiences of shepherds who were good and shepherds who were not so good.  Further, they knew of the qualities of the sheep, three of which are as follows:

1. They are in constant need of guidance. It is said that sheep will follow whoever is leading them. Even if this means to their own damnation. Hence a good shepherd is very important.
    
2. They cannot protect themselves. It is said that many animals prey on the sheep: coyotes, wolves, foxes, bears, dogs, eagles, bobcats, mountain lions, etc. Hence, a good shepherd is needed to protect the sheep.
   
3. They are always in need of care. When a sheep gets hurt, it cannot heal itself. It needs a good shepherd to do that and take care of it. 

May we realize that no matter who we are, no matter what we attain, no matter how many talents we have, we all need the Lord’s guidance, protection, and care.