Called to be good
THE STORY is told that Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi will not step down, and was supposed to have said to his people: “My dear Libyan people, I will never Lib-ya!”
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Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. In today’s gospel, Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd. Well, there are various kinds of shepherds. The bottom line is that a good shepherd is one who is ready to lay down his life for his sheep. Anyone who uses, or abandons, or steals from his sheep is not a good shepherd at all.
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Congratulations to Rep. Manny Pacquiao for bringing honor to our country by winning against Shane Mosley in their recent boxing match, and for earning another billion pesos from his victory. The guy works hard, and gets beaten up to earn honor for his country and money for his constituents and his family—unlike many of his fellow lawmakers who bring shame to our country, and earn money just by talking and throwing their weight around.
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In many instances, Jesus took off beyond family, culture, friendships and loyalties in his zeal for the Kingdom of God. Here was a leader who was not imprisoned by anything or by anyone in his mission to serve his people. How many of our leaders today have this sense of mission? Sad to say, many of our leaders today have a stronger sense of “commission” than a sense of mission.
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For those who are involved in shepherding or leading, learn from the Good Shepherd who uses his staff to lead the sheep, direct the sheep, bring back the lost sheep and protect the sheep from the wolves. Anyone who fails in these responsibilities are not shepherds, and are not good at all.
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Today is World Day of Prayer for Vocation. Remember, all of us have a vocation, a calling to life, goodness and love. All of us are called to be good, and to go back to our final destination—heaven. We are to concretize this God-given vocation in whatever situation or occupation we are called in this life. We are to grow and bear fruit wherever we are planted.
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I owe my vocation to my parents who encouraged me and my two other brothers to become priests. In fact, all three of us entered the seminary. Aside from their words of encouragement, Papa and Mama prayed the Rosary and went to Mass every day, in particular, to pray to have a priest-son. Yes, prayer is powerful. Let us pray that we have more good leaders and more good shepherds and shepherdesses.
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Fr. Vicente “Teng” de la Cruz, SVD, was one who remained loyal to his priestly-religious vocation till the end. This little, playful boy from Sta. Rita, Pampanga was an intellectual giant in his class, graduating summa cum laude in his Licentiate at the Urbaniana University in Rome. But he remained “little” and humble even as provincial superior of the SVD Central Province. His basic principle was: “The confreres know what is right or wrong.” He showed much respect for the good judgment of confreres.
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On the night I gave the anointing of the sick to Father “Teng” at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, I was also called to pray over a dying woman in the next room, whom I found out was the mother of a priest. Together with her priest-son and three other visiting priests, we prayed over her, and later on prayed over Father Teng also. May God bless all mothers of priests, and all the formators of priests.
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Speaking of shepherds, I recently visited lawyer Roi Pastor, head of the labor department of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. What I noticed in his simple office was the presence of a crucifix, the statue of Our Lady of Fatima, and the Holy Family at the right side of his desk. When I asked him about it, his simple reply was: “They are my shield against temptation. Any foreign or local investor who attempts to bribe me in any way gets the message that my job is my mission for our people and for God.” So inspiring to know that here is one Pastor who literally and really lives up to his name.
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During the same visit, I was surprised to see a line of employees waiting outside the office just to receive a blessing from me. It must have taken me 20 to 30 minutes to give each one a simple blessing. Yes, all they needed was a little assurance that they are loved and are heard by God. May we who shepherd or lead not belittle those little moments with the little ones with their little needs and requests.
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Yesterday, an elderly, wheelchair-bound woman arrived in my office on a taxi for healing and counseling. So what’s exceptional about that? Nothing much really, except that she asked me to pay for her taxi fare coming and going back as well, which I did since that was the right thing to do. So I suppose that makes me a good—or a “stupid”—shepherd? Maybe?!
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I praise and thank God and all the people who joined the “Walk with God” to Manaoag last May 7, 2011. About 7,000 people from all over Luzon and from all walks of life walked together, praying the Rosary in thanksgiving and petition. The walk ended with a Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag. The next Walk with God will be on the first Saturday of October 2011.
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A moment with the Lord:
Lord, help me to be good and to be a shepherd, a good shepherd. Amen.
