Gospel: John
10:1-10
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. But whoever enters
through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him,
and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them
out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep
follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a
stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice
of strangers.” Although Jesus used this figure of speech, they did not realize
what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus
said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who
came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I
am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go
out and find pasture. 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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Reflection:
There is
a story of a poor family the husband had an ordinary low paying job and the
wife was a simple housewife they had six (6) children. Because of the meager
salary of the husband they could barely survive and they always borrow money
from their relatives.
Despite
of their poor financial standing this family was faithful to the church; they
would always observe their Sunday obligation. The parents taught their children
the values of the faith; the mother would always lead in the prayer of the Holy
Rosary and the father would always be there to join them.
Eventually
all of their children became very successful in their respective field of
endeavors and they’ve given back the love and guidance that their parents gave
them. Obviously the parents were Good shepherds for they brought their children
to the gate of life that is the church.
Jesus in
the gospel tells the crowd including the Pharisees that He is the good shepherd
that desires only the best for them. Jesus also tells them that He is the gate
of life but they did not believe Him.
It was
said that: “The proof of the pudding is
in the eating” Thus unlike the Pharisees we know for a fact that Jesus is
really our Good Shepherd. We believe and feel in our heart this declaration
of Jesus. He desires nothing for us but
our wellbeing; we also know that He is our only gateway towards life beyond
this world and without Him in our lives there would be no life beyond this
world.
There are
still many who do not know about Jesus as the Good Shepherd, there are still
many who do not know that Jesus is the gateway to life beyond this world. Their
gateway is the material things of this world and the lies and fleeting
happiness that Satan offers them through this world.
Let us
spread the word about the real Good Shepherd and Gateway no other than Jesus. –
Marino J. Dasmarinas
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