There are times when we may not be able to give a logical
explanation for everything that happens to us but the truth remains that what
the Lord said in today's 1st reading is true. No matter what our situations are
we can always be assured that God looks after our welfare more than we ever
know. There should be an abounding joy in our heart in the knowledge that God
can never be wrong. We can always rely on His instincts and judgment to do the
right thing for us. Somewhere along the way we've experienced the feeling of
being lost and not knowing what to do and where to go but the 1st reading today
gives us renewed hope in the God who is the Good Shepherd. Amen. Hallelujah!
Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17
Thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will look after and tend my
sheep 12 As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his
scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep. ...I myself will pasture my sheep; I
myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD. 16 The lost I will seek out, the
strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal
[but the sleek and the strong I will destroy], shepherding them rightly.
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 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 (1)
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.
Nothing compares to the love that God has for us. A love
that goes beyond measure is what He offers to us. It should be freely accepted
without any pressure or force just like the way it was freely given to us
through His Son, Jesus. We need to be aware of it every single moment of our
lives. We are so blessed that His love for us surpasses all other kinds of love
we've ever known and we'll ever come to know. We may keep on searching for the
best kind of love but we'll just be disappointed if we look for it in other
than God Himself. For His love alone suffices. Everything happens for a reason.
Whatever the reason is we can be confident in the truth that God loves us so
much and hope that we will never be disappointed. As we continue the process of
living, dying and the hope of resurrecting, we the church of God
Romans 5:5b-11
5 Brothers and sisters: Hope does not disappoint, because
the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit
that has been given to us...But God proves his love for us in that while we
were still sinners Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we are now
justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. 10 Indeed,
if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his
Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 Not only
that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we
have now received reconciliation...
Luke is known as the gospel of women, infancy and Jesus’
youth. Today’s gospel speaks of the parable that is the most consoling, inspiring
and beautiful of all. The heart of God is revealed to us by Jesus Christ our
brother. It never changes although we can never fully understand because we are
finite and limited. Thus, we owe so much to St. Luke especially since this
parable in Chapter 15 reminds us when the day is dark, discouraged and
rejected, God never gets tired of looking for us. The God of love is our
shepherd. God treasures each one of us with great affection that He tries to
convey this message to us in today's gospel through the parable of the lost
sheep. Jesus wanted to emphasize that each one of us is important to Him and
would go to such great lengths just to bring us back to Him. What a shame just
realizing how insignificant we are compared to His greatness and yet the God of
the Universe, Master, Creator, King of Kings and Lord of Lords consider us as
His top priority even though we don't deserve it. Especially at times when we
are dissuaded by our other priorities, tend to be swayed over and get lost in
the process. He will never leave us nor forsake us to the point of running
after us. It is indeed a relief to find
out from Fr. Rudy Horst's sharing in Sabbath that God does not turn His back on
us no matter what we do. It is always us who turn away from God. When we turn
away from God and get lost we can be assured that He is going to look for us
and bring us back to the fold that is if we allow Him to. God will never force
Himself on us but we can always count on Him to go looking for us just as in
today's parable of the lost sheep. Let us not stray any further and try
searching for greener pastures as we know it. We ought to settle down and stop
breaking free from the fold where we belong for there is no other place better
than being in God's loving embrace. Let us just allow God to set us on His
shoulders and rejoice with Him together with all the angels and saints in
heaven. Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 15:3-7
...So Jesus addressed this parable to them. 4 “What man
among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the
ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 And
when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 and, upon
his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you, in just the
same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over
ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
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