Whenever I get the chance to be in Downtown LA and passing through the
commercial area, entering the stores, walking through the familiar streets
there, and choosing a place where to dine, this experience is indeed a total sensory
experience, an experience of sight, of sound, of taste, touch and smell which
brought back and also stored up good memories to last. It is quite an
experience always. The circumstances that followed unexpectedly that ended up
falling into place say only this. It was all arranged and planned by the Lord
who knew what was going to be. It was such an enjoyable and fun filled
experience. All I know is that it holds a special and deep meaning that touch
my heart in an unexplainable way owing to the occasions and incidences that were
connected and related to it. But I believe God in His awesome and almighty
wisdom, intelligence and knowledge reveals things in stages for the benefit of
our limited capacities and understanding. The series of events and daily
readings became an eye opener and has given me a better understanding of all
the things that have happened since. Lent is over and it is time to celebrate
and rejoice. When we are faced with a troublesome situation we should always
remember the reason for the season this Easter. It is time to be joyous and
rejoice. Lent is only 40 days while Pentecost is 50 days which means it should
be celebrated longer. We should allow the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us
with His gifts and fruits. In today's 1st reading there are 3 things we have to
do to receive God's gift. 1. Imitate the pierced heart of Mary 2. Seek the help
of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ 3. Repentance. It's time for us to
make a stand. There is indeed a tug of war of good and bad. On which side are
you? Let us be fully aware of which side we are pulling. We should come to a point when we also ask ourselves
the same question that was asked by the 1st christians in the 1st reading today
during the time of Jesus. I realized it
is always good to look back, recall and never forget those times in our lives.
One thing is sure, Jesus is calling us to a relationship with Him. In such
situations we just need to always be attuned to Him so we can always choose to
follow and obey. We can always be confident and full of hope that whatever is
the outcome of our actions for as long as we know that we have consulted it to
God in prayer and have acted with our best ability then we are always safe and
secure. Amen. Hallelujah!
Acts of the Apostles 2,14, 36-41.
36 On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people,
“Let the whole house of Israel
know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Messiah,..Now when they
heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other
apostles, "What are we to do, my brothers?" Peter (said) to them,
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for
the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call."... "Save yourselves from this
corrupt generation." ...
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 have to stand up for something that is good and right
before God. Amen. Hallelujah!
First Letter of Peter 2,20-25.
...But what credit is there if you are patient when beaten
for doing wrong? But if you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good,
this is a grace before God...
It is very important that we follow the Good Shepherd so
that we don't end up in the hands of the enemy whose only goal is to steal,
slaughter and destroy. We are safe in the guiding love of Jesus for as long as
we consciously follow Him. Only Jesus can satisfy our souls and make us whole.
He'll give us peace we never knew, sweet love, joy and heaven, too. These are
the lyrics of a charismatic song that I have always loved to sing. In today's
gospel the message of God is very clear, we should know and recognize the voice
of God and the path that leads to Him. Let us not allow ourselves to be led
astray by the deception of the enemy whose only aim is to steal our joy,
slaughter and destroy our peace. If we are bothered by some concerns let us
always approach and never leave the flock that our Good Shepherd cares for. In
Him we are surely safe and secure. We ought to be careful though that we do not
fall for the trap of the enemy and this world. We have to know and identify who
really is the Good Shepherd. We've got to know the difference and be very
discreet in whom we place our confidence and trust. The false shepherd exploits,
feeds his ego and makes himself the center. He takes rather than gives. These
things might be very familiar to us and might have experienced it with friends,
relatives, even institutions and groups. Instead of leading us to green pasture
we suffer in the process as we follow the hired hand. The Good Shepherd on the
contrary does not run away when danger is imminent but rather is willing to die
for the sheep. Jesus is dedicated to protect and keep us safe from the many
dangers of this world. He is willing to be betrayed, denied, humiliated and
crucified for our sake. We are like lost sheep and we need to follow Jesus all
the way to the cross in Mt.
Calvary
John 10:1-10
1 Jesus said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not
enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a
robber. 2 But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his
own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has driven out all his own, he
walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his
voice...A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that
they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
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