Gospel: John 10:11-18
Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life
for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his
own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf
catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern
for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just
as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for
the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I
must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one
shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order
to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I
have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have
received from my Father.”
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Reflection:
Who is shepherding us in the midst of this covid-19 pandemic is it our
fear of the unknown or Jesus? If the Lord is shepherding us right now we are in
good hands. We will survive this pandemic because Jesus is protecting us. A good shepherd is someone who desires nothing
but the good of his sheep. A good shepherd is also someone who would be willing
to sacrifice his own life for the sake of his sheep.
In modern times right now a shepherd could also be an object of our
attention or even obsession. That seeks to control and dictate upon us.
For example, greed for money could be our shepherd if we allow it to
control us. But if we allow money to be our shepherd it will not only control
us it may even possess us. It may even destroy not only us even our family as
well.
Our Job could also be our shepherd, in what manner could this be? This
could happen the moment we allow our job to enslave us. For instance, we focus
more on our jobs rather than our family that we hardly have time for our
family. So what would happen to the family? It may be destroyed and eventually
disintegrate. Our ambition to be wealthy could also be our false shepherd
and there are many more false shepherd wannabes.
In the midst of all these false shepherd wannabes. Jesus wants to offer
Himself to us for He is the good shepherd. He tells us in the gospel: I am the
good shepherd (John 10:11) and I will lay down my life for you (John 10:15).
Why don’t we consider this offer of Jesus and allow Him to shepherd our
lives?
Perhaps we could start by reading the life story and the life changing
words of Jesus in the bible. We can also begin to take seriously the
celebration of the Holy Mass by paying more attention to this sacred
celebration.
We might have already allowed money and other worldly ambitions to
shepherd or control us. But did it give us what we want? Did it give us
peace and contentment? - Marino J. Dasmarinas
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