"I am the Good Shepherd."  When the shepherd finally locates the stray sheep, out of love he breaks one of its legs and puts it over his neck, as he carries it back to the flock. At night, the shepherd places this sheep next to him while he sleeps. In doing this, he teaches the sheep how important it is to him and the reason he went looking for this strayed sheep. Sometimes, we don't understand why things happen to us. But God allows set-backs, difficulties, even tragedies to occur in our lives to draw us closer to him, because we are  important to him.. As the sheep during the healing time learns to trust in the Shepherd, so we are to learn to trust the Lord, even in things we don't understand. As St. Paul reminds us: "We know that all things work for good for those who love God,* who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) At all times surrender to the will of God.