Today’s 1st reading reminds me of this beautician
who did a home service to a lady. Being the beauty specialist that she is, she
made some suggestions to me. She is an expert when it comes to beauty tips and
making her customers look their best. I can not blame her and the others who
have a good taste for fashion and beauty when they persuade me to have my hair
cut. It has grown very long already and sometimes left it unkempt. I must admit
I am very careless in these matters which I really need to improve on. We know
for a fact that there are areas in ourselves that we need to work on for the better.
Whatever it may be, it will surely give delight to the Lord if we try to be the
best that we can be and do everything sincerely from our hearts for the glory
of God. Most importantly is that we should always consult God with our
decisions for in today's first reading it is stated that not as man sees does
God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart. We
are all guilty one way or another of being judged or judging others ourselves.
This is something that we all do unknowingly, deliberately, just out of habit
and without much thought. Today's 1st reading reminds us of not to judge and
deal with our fellow human beings by our standard but by God's. Amen. Hallelujah
1Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13
...the LORD said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because
I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the
appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.”
Psalm 23 assures us where the road of God’s love will lead
us because it tells us exactly what kind of road we are heading to if we accept
the love of the Good Shepherd. When I was a young child, I used to sing and
imagine the scenario in the psalm reading for today. Psalm 23 has a Tagalog
song version in the Philippines
entitled, “Ang Panginoon ang aking Pastol” I have always loved singing it
because of the very comforting words in the song. It has always given me an
impression that with God on our side nothing can go wrong and if things seem to
look like there is something wrong there is really nothing to fear for He will
always be there to defend and protect. Let us not stray away from the Lord and
always stay in the flock that He cares for. We may have heard a story of how a
lion attacks its prey by separating it from the flock and once it has cornered
it and all alone that's the time it devours it. It pays to always stay in the
flock under the care of our Good Shepherd. We have to make sure we are not
misguided or deceived by a fake shepherd and really belong to the flock of sheep
that Jesus shepherds. If we are just to read and understand very well every
word said in today's psalm then we ought to find ourselves the most contented
and secured person in the whole wide world. There should be no more room for
fear, doubt and anxiety. We've got to develop the confidence and faith of a
person who have truly believed that the Lord is our shepherd. A sheep without a
shepherd doesn’t know where to go and get food. They just stand there looking
dumb and hungry. Today's psalm is a reminder and great consolation that we are
the sheep and the Lord is our Shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd as stated in
today's psalm. He makes us want for nothing more. We are so caught up with our
problems and concerns in life that we become oblivious of God. We do not see
the love of God in the midst of these disturbing events. In our journey here on
earth we are all confronted with the bitter and harsh realities of life. Let us
always remember and never forget that on top of those realities is the resounding
truth and most essential one that we have a Good Shepherd. We should praise and
thank God for those experiences although difficult served as an inspiration
which we could hold on to at times when things do not turn out right. We can be
assured that everything is in control although there is really a need to go
through a so called "dark valley" of our lives in order for us to be
fully aware that we have a God who looks after our welfare no matter how things
turn out unexpectedly and not according to what we have in mind. We always have
to believe that in the end, God is always on our side to give us the courage to
carry on and find that God got us covered. There is one thing sure if we hold
on to God as a sheep to the Good Shepherd, we will never be disappointed. The
words of God in today's readings give us an assurance that He is always there
for us. He said it and He means it then so be it. There is nothing more He
could possibly mean when He said that He is the Good Shepherd other than He
cares for us. He never forsakes nor abandons any single one of His flock.
Sometimes we are confronted with situations that push us to the limits and thus
we give way. This should never be the case at any single time. We should not
entertain the option that is clearly not pleasing to the Lord even beyond the
point of maximum tolerance. We may find ourselves able to resist up to a
certain extent only. Thus when the tough gets really tough we would suddenly
find ourselves shifting our loyalty. We only find ourselves proclaiming God in
our life when situations are favorable. It's such a pity if we would ever come
to this point where almost everybody in this world found themselves comfortably
positioned. We can easily change positions when things get uncomfortable and
easily turn our backs on what is ultimately God’s will for us. As in Rev. 3:16,
So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my
mouth. It is time to make a stand and know which side we really are rather than
continue making excuses and justifications. We must not doubt God's ability to
be the Good Shepherd that He really is
to us and trust Him rather than ourselves to carry out the plan He has for
us. Just like this old adage,
"Never put the law into your hands." We should not take away God's
plan from His hands into ours and act like we know better. If there's someone
who could perfectly carry out this plan for our lives then that is no other
than God Himself. Nothing could be more perfect than entrusting our life in
God's hands. Just try to imagine ourselves right now, as is, where is with all
our cares and problems in this world. Then try to paint another picture, this
time with God as the Good Shepherd that tends the sheep, then picture ourselves
as that sheep that the Lord tends. Be still for a moment and try to absorb and
allow to sink in the words in the responsorial psalm. In God's loving embrace
we are secured and satisfied that there is nothing we stand in need of. If the
Lord is our shepherd who could ask for more? Goodness and love pursue us all
the days of our life. For as long we're sure that the Lord Jesus is indeed the
shepherd who leads us and whom we follow then there is no doubt about this. We
should thank the Lord for our daily assurances, confirmation and in all circumstances.
God will never allow us to go hungry and will always give us what we need and
even more. God is a generous God that when we're feeling hungry or in need of
something He is always there to provide, all we have to do is trust Him in His
ways, as He has promised. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6
R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 In verdant
pastures he gives me repose. Beside restful waters he leads me; 3 he refreshes
my soul. (R) He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I
walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod
and your staff that give me courage. (R) 5 You spread the table before me in
the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (R) 6 Only
goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in
the house of the LORD for years to come.
We've grown so used to our own personal blindness brought by
our sins that we simply sit around and not do anything about it. Today's 2nd
reading tells us to arise and be children of the light. If we want to feel,
think and see things in accordance to His will then we should simply try to
learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!
Ephesians 5:8-14
...Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no
part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, for it is
shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; but everything
exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is
light. Therefore, it says: “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and
Christ will give you light.”
Sin certainly has its consequences but Christ has
transformed it to our redemption. This blind man in the gospel obeys and sees.
The 1st person he sees as he opens his eyes is Jesus. God redeems us from our
sufferings and transform it for our good. For in today's gospel the Lord
reminds and invites us to make our lives a testimony of the wonderful works of
His hands. Let us continue to trust God that whatever situation we are in right
now it doesn't change the fact that He is God our Creator, powerful and
almighty. We might be like the blind man from birth groping in the dark. Just
like him let us not hesitate to become instruments in making visible His
wonderful plans through us. Let us be mindful of His instructions to us the
same way the blind man obeyed Jesus when He said, “Go wash in the pool of
Siloam.” Amen. Hallelujah!
John 9:1-41
As he passed by he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples
asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born
blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so
that the works of God might be made visible through him. We have to do the
works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can
work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When he had said
this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay
on his eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” —which means
Sent—. So he went and washed, and came back able to see. His neighbors and
those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used
to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is, “
but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” He said, “I
am.” So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” He replied, “The man
called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and
wash.’ So I went there and washed and was able to see.” And they said to him,
“Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know.” They brought the one who was once blind
to the Pharisees. Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath. So
then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, “He
put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” So some of the Pharisees
said, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath.” But
others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division
among them. So they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about
him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” Now the Jews did
not believe that he had been blind and gained his sight until they summoned the
parents of the one who had gained his sight. They asked them, “Is this your
son, who you say was born blind? How does he now see?” His parents answered and
said, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. We do not know
how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he
can speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the
Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged him as the
Christ, he would be expelled from the synagogue. For this reason his parents
said,
“He is of age; question him.” So a second time they called
the man who had been blind
and said to him, “Give God the praise! We know that this man
is a sinner.” He replied,
“If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is
that I was blind and now I see.”
So they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open
your eyes?” He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen. Why
do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” They
ridiculed him and said, “You are that man’s disciple; we are disciples of
Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this one is
from.” The man answered and said to them, “This is what is so amazing, that you
do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not
listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.
It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind. If
this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything.” They answered
and said to him, “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach
us?” Then they threw him out.
When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him
and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered and said, “Who is
he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him
and the one speaking with you is he.” 38 He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.
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