The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd is a recurring theme throughout the Bible. From the very beginning of Genesis, Abel was the first Shepherd. The Bible says that he became the first keeper of the flocks (Gn. 4:2). Moreover, Abel offered the first fruits of his labor to God by sacrificing a lamb. The patriarch Abraham was also considered to be a Shepherd. When Abraham was in Egypt with Sarah, he was given many gifts. He received flocks and herds and other things (Gn. 12:16).

Shepherding has always been part of Israel's life. However, it began to decline throughout the years as farming became the driving force of the economy. In fact, when the Israelites were in Egypt, many Egyptians and Israelites looked down upon the shepherds. For instance, Laban, who was of Hebrew origin, forced Jacob to work as a shepherd for many years (Gn. 30:31-34). Moreover, Moses when he fled out of Egypt to Midian, it was there that he also became a Shepherd after being a ruler in Egypt. It seems that the role of a shepherd began to be the lowest part of the economy  for caste system in that time.

Shepherding means a lot more than just being a status in the economy of Israel. To be a shepherd, one had a lot of responsibilities, such as staying up all night and watching the flock. Because of this, the job was transferred to the younger children to tend the flocks. For instance, David was the youngest of his brothers, and Jesse tells the Prophet Samuel that David was out tending the flock. The Shepherd had to watch the flock from its prey at night; he had to count the sheep everyday; he had to feed the flock and take it to fresh waters; he had to look for the lost sheep and bring it back to its pasture. In addition, the sheep had to become familiar with their shepherd's voice. According to Holman Dictionary, Shepherding is translated as Feeding...the Shepherd will carry weak sheep on his shoulders (http://www.studylight.org). No matter how ugly the sheep may looked, when being wounded, the Shepherd never gives up on his sheep even if it dies on his arms.

To be a Shepherd is to be a chosen leader for a community that will listen and follow the way. In the Book of Exodus, Moses leads the people out of Egypt to Mount Sinai. He first had to learn what it meant to be a shepherd before he served a people that will eventually become the chosen people of God. As Moses reaches his destination near the mountain, he was away for about forty days. The people thought that he had abandoned them, so the Israelites sought someone in their midst to guide them into the promise land. As a result, they created a molten calf and began to worship it. Moses, while conversing with God, is told that the people had abandoned the way of the Lord. They began to worship a false image and God decided to wipe them out from the face of the earth. However, Moses knows that even if a lamb leads astray or is weak, he is willing to work with the lamb for as long as it takes. For this reason, Moses intercedes on behalf of the people by saying, "Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people...remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Ex. 32:13-14). Moses reminded God about the covenant that He had made with the Patriarchs, and how God had to fulfill that promise with his chosen people despite the faults and failures of the people. Thus, God relented that day from punishing Israel for their disobedience.

Although Israel has had faithful leaders to the LORD, they still struggle throughout history to have good Shepherds. The idea of Shepherd has taken a different form within the content of Israel. The people sought sought a leader that would be obedient to the Lord's command, but it was difficult to find a leader that would imitate Abraham, Isaac, Israel, and Moses. After the babylonian exile, the prophet Ezekiel was very aware that the Kings of Israel have failed to keep the Lord's covenant. Because of this, God had given them over to their enemies and suffered the consequences. The hope for a faithful and true Shepherd to come remains in the words of the Prophet mouth. He utters the words of the Lord by saying, "I will appoint one Shepherd over them to pasture them, servant David; he shall pasture them and be their shepherd" (Ez. 34:23).  God has commission the Prophet to the let the people know that a Shepherd will rise in their midst like King David but different.

In the New Testament, Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd before his listeners. He says, " I am the Good Shepherd. A good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep" (Jn 10:11). Jesus makes a bold proclamation about himself and he cannot deny what he truly is. He compares himself to a shepherd that is willing to do anything for his people, Israel, and the whole world. Jesus goes out in search for the lost sheep of Israel. He says, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were unwilling!" (13:34). In another passage, Jesus says that he only came for the lost sheep after the woman begged him to grant her her prayers request. He tells the Canaanite woman, " I was sent only to the lost of sheep of the house of Israel" (Mt. 15:24).

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, fulfills the work of the Father. He comes to seek the lost by proclaiming the Good News of salvation. He offers his life as a sacrifice for sinners by dying on the cross. He speaks openly in public areas where others can listen to his words of hope, forgiveness, redemption, and love. As Jesus makes his way through many towns and villages proclaiming repentance, there are many who follow him and listen to his words. However, before they can actually follow him, the sheep must be carry by the shepherd. This process of healing will take time for the sheep to be restored back to grace. In addition, Christ becomes the mediator between the Father and humanity. He continues his work of salvation through the sacraments as he heals the wounds of humanity and forgives sinners. He is restless when he searches out for the lost sheep that has fallen away from grace. The Son's primary duty is to bring back to the Father's house the lost sheep.

As Jesus continues to knock at the door of the sinner's heart, let the sinner say, "Come Lord Jesus!"

Avoid the ways of the Pharisees

 The empty tomb is a clear strong message to every person. A person can look and discover that the empty tomb can reflect the inner life of being. It can also explicate the feeling of the heart of experiencing a void and hollow. In the same, Catholics are surrounded by statues. A statue can be beautiful on the outside, but within it is hallow and empty. Both the empty tomb and the statue can cause a gong noise that will resound within. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells his audience that when the bridegroom is taken away his disciples will fast, which will leave a sense of emptiness.

Jesus confronted the Pharisees when they asked him why his disciples did not fast and prayed like john's disciples.

             And they said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, 
             and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink 
             and Jesus said to them, "Can you make the wedding guests fast 
             while the bridegroom is with them?
             The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, 
             and they will fast in those days." (Lk. 5:33-34)

Fasting and praying has been one of the elements that has been questioned the most. The Pharisees were more concerned about order and demonstration of self piety before the rest of society. Jesus counter acts their way of thinking and expresses a faith by doing the opposite. He teaches the opposite about prayer by not doing it before others to see. However, His disciples tell Jesus to teach them how to pray. Jesus does give a prayer, but it is not focus upon himself to draw attention. He said,

            Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
            Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in Heaven.
            Give us this day our daily bread;
            And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors;
            And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
            For if you forgive men their trespasses,
            your heavenly Father also will forgive you;
            but if you do not forgive men their trespasses,
            neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Mt. 6:9-15)

It would seem that Jesus should have taught his diciples how to pray and lay out a set of prayers for others to imitate. However, Jesus does not draw attention to himself because he is pointing to the Father. The moment a group of people or an individual begins to create structures of prayer on their own, it will lead to self interest. For instance, John taught his diciples how to pray, but they had focused upon the Baptist and not on the coming of the Messiah. Jesus does not need to teach His disciples how to pray, because the sending of the Holy Spirit will teach them how to pray. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says that when the Spirit comes he will teach you everything that I have taught you...in another part of his Gospel, Jesus says that the true worshipers will worship in spirit and truth. The fact is that prayer is good and necessary for the person, but it is useless when it is focus upon the self and not upon the truth, who is the Son of God. Prayer is not meant to be a routine or something that is devotional; although, vocal prayers are necessary and great during spiritual dryness. Prayer is much deeper than this; it is dialogue between Jesus, who is the truth and the life, and the person, who seeks a personal encounter. The Pharisees and the followers of John the Baptist were empty and hallow because they sought the praise and honor from others. Whenever the person seeks out to find Jesus, it begins with the openness of the heart that allows Jesus to enter into the most deepest part of the person. Jesus said,

            But when you pray,
            go into your room and shut the door
            and pray to your Father who is in secret;
            and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
            And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do;
            for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
            Do not be like them,
            for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Mt. 6:8-9)

Jesus helps his diciples to avoid attention or anything that may lead people to focus on the individual and not on the Father. He teaches that one must try to avoid prayers that only become a routine and does not lead to conversion or an openness of the heart. He teaches that one must have an intimate relationship with him that requires the freedom of the person to seek out the truth by welcoming Him into the most secret place where no one can enter. The Pharisees and the diciples of John focused on the externals, but within their hearts there was all kinds of evils that kept them from confessing their faults before others and not loving ones neighbor; this was causing them to fill their emptyness. If the relationship with ones neighbor is not well, then the relationship with God is disconnected because the person refuses to open his or her heart to the Author of life that leads the person to love.

Moreover, fasting is such a blessing and a powerful tool for prayer, but it is only powerful when fasting is not selfish. Jesus warns against a false kind of fasting:

           And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites,
           for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men.
           Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
           But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
           that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret;
           and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Mt. 6:16-18)

The Pharisees fasted, so that others can see them in public areas. However, their kind of fasting did not lead them to conversion because they still continue to be uncharitable to others. They were not concerned about the poor or their neighbor who was suffering all kinds of infirmities. Fasting has taken a different shape today; it is done for the sake of health, loosing weight, feeling better in doing something that requires a lot of sacrifice, such as a food or a place that one enjoys. On the contrary, Jesus claims that fasting has a purpose; a purpose in not letting others know about your sacrifices because that can lead to self-glory. The prophet Isaiah gives the purpose for fasting. He says,

          Is not this the fast that I choose:
          to loose the  bonds of wickedness,
          to undo the thongs of the yoke,
          to let the oppressed go free,
          and to break every yoke?
          Is no to share your bread with the hungry,
          and bring the homeless poor into your house;
          when you see the naked, to cover him,
          and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
          Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
          and your healing shall spring up speedily;
          your righteousness shall go before you,
          the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. (Is. 58:6-8)

Thus, true fasting and prayer does not consist in self glory or self interest. It guides the person to personal encounter with the Triune God that seeks to reveal Himself to the sinner as he or she desires to to grow in an open relationship with the creator. Scripture reveals the true meaning of prayer and fasting, but it is an opportunity to grow in right relationship with Christ and avoid falling into the trappings of the pharissaic tradition that leads the person farther away from truth. Christ himself said that the Pharisees and scribes helped people in knowing more about the Lord, but they became children of the devil just because they gave bad examples of being a follower of God in righteousness and truth. Emptiness is caused by trying to please oneself in order to get the praise from others. Jesus is the only One that fill the void of the human person. One just has to allow him to enter and let him be God.

The empty heart is hallow

Looking at the picture of an empty, a person will realize that there's nothing in it. As one continues to observe the empty tomb, it will demonstrate the reality of the human heart hollow and empty. In the same way, most Catholics are surrounded with statues either at church or even at home. The statue within is also hollow and empty. One can knock at the statue and hear a gong noise resound. The same can be true when the person looks into the tomb and utters out some words that will form an echo. The heart can be shallow and empty whenever the bridegroom is not present. 

In the Gospel of Lk 5:33-39, "The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.” Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” The Pharisees and the scribes were a group of religious men that were more concerned with the outer appearance instead of the heart of the person. They critiqued the disciples of Jesus of not praying or fasting on sabbath day, which was prohibited for anyone to work. However, this was not first time they question Jesus about fasting and praying. 

In the Gospel of Matthew, the disciples tell Jesus to teach them how to pray just like John taught his disciples. However, Jesus takes a different approach. He tells them not to pray like Pharisees, scribes, and others that like to be seen before the public. Moreover, he also tells them not to perform righteous deeds so that others can see them. He calls such people hypocrites because they only do such things to get approval before men and the public. Jesus' teaching is the contrary because he says to perform righteous deeds where your left hand does not know what your right hand is doing; to give alms not letting others know what you are giving; to pray in secret where no one is able to see or know what you are praying before the father. Praying and giving alms in secret is much pleasing to God because it takes away the focus of self.  In addition, Jesus gives a prayer to his disciples; a prayer that will focus on the Father and be offered up to the father instead of self-attention. (Mt.6)

 As for fasting, Jesus does not put down fasting. He encourages fasting in different manner. He tells his listeners not to imitate the hypocrites when they fast as to be seen by others appearing to be fasting. He says, “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face" (Mt.6). Fasting must be done with a joyful spirit and a heart that is convicted on the power of fasting.  Isaiah 58 says, “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungryand to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?" Jesus wants fasting to lead to acts that glory him by loving neighbor and not self. Because Isaiah also says, Then your light will break forth like the dawn,and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness^[a] will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.18so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.

Universal Call to Sinfulness

The universal call to sin is the opposite to the universal call to Holiness. Throughout life, people encounter opposites, such as black and white, up and down, life and death, short and tall, angry and happy, etc.

In the Meno, Socrates tried to explain the existence of the universal forms that exist outside of time. He believed that the soul was incorruptible and was weighed down by the body. The body was only considered to be an obstacle for the spirit or soul to be united once again to the eternal forms, such as the Good, the Beautiful, the Truth, and Justice. Just as there are eternal forms, there are also eternal forms of evil, such as Original Sin, Hatred, Falsehood, Ugliness, and Evil.

The call to universal sin is prevalent in our society today. There is hatred among brothers and family members; There is division among people and communities; there is war that disrespects the human dignity of the person created in the image and likeness of God. Christianity continues to loose its focus and more and more people respond to the universal call to sinfulness. Nowadays, people are no longer concern about their salvation and the universal call to holiness. Why? Because the universal call to sinfulness is much easier to follow than the universal call to holiness.

What has happen in our world today is the lost of respect for one another. People no longer see the goodness, the beautiful, the truth, and justice in the lives of others. It is difficult to overpass the sinfulness that people continue to see in others; that is why following the Lord and responding to the call of holiness is much harder than any other path.

The universal call of holiness is difficult to follow by oneself. If the person tries to seek the truth on its own, he or she will get nowhere. The respond to the universal call to holiness is a complete renunciation of the life of sin and anything that is contrary to the truth. This call is a complete sacrifice for the other people, a total respond in freedom with love, a self denial of oneself, a life of on growing virtue, and a life that gives witness by example and words. However, this can only be accomplished by believing in Jesus and allowing him to be at the center of the heart of the person.

When Jesus came into the world, he found a culture that was no longer living up to the truth. Like scripture says, "All has gone astray like sheep!" It also says, "God looks down from heaven and there is not one following or doing His will."The reality of life is that the human person is covered by original sin. The person will always have the inclination or impulse to do something evil and that is a reality; something that no one can escape from. Jesus comes and teaches the truth about God and shows the way to follow him, which is the way of the Cross. In this life, the universal call to holiness is the only path that leads the person to eternal life, which is the Good, the Beautiful, and the Truth. Jesus comes and still calls people to allow him to work through them and letting him conquer sin. Now, holiness is not something a person does like devotion or piety; it is a life of harmony and peace with God and neighbor. Jesus gives abundant grace to fulfill this call by listening to his Words in Holy Scripture, seeking the sacrament of Reconciliation, going to Mass frequently, and of course personal prayer.

The fact is that most people are comfortable with the state of life that they live. Jesus sends forth his forerunner to proclaim the Good News, that the Son Of God shines his light in the darkness. The person may find himself in total darkness and running away from the light. However, Jesus will continue to shine his light in the darkness until the person desires to return to him.

In the picture, there is a dichotomy between darkness and light. The couple runs away from the light in the darkness by responding to the universal call to sinfulness. However, God is faithful; he continues to shine his light by calling them back to holiness. The person can either accept this call in love and mercy or the person can fall into the abyss of never ending darkness.  

White Washed Tomb

         This is what a white washed tomb looks like in the picture, beautiful on the outside and ugly in the inside. I searched this picture on one of these websites called Options for Men. Jerry, who is a sheriff, realizes that he falls into the same routine every morning as he wakes up. He puts on his badge with a seven point star and gets ready for work. However, his job description is a "Scientific Investigations Supervisor." As reflects on his life and those that work with him, he calls to mind that all of his friends have the same badge and uniform within the Institution.

There is a good insight in the life of Jerry that can reflect the lives of every Christian. The human race has something in common that is the physical appearance of being human. Each person has an appearance that reflects an identity of who the person is in society and family background. The only difficulty with the appearance is that it keeps others from looking into the heart of the person. For instance, when God was disappointed with King Saul, he told the prophet Samuel to anoint a son from the house of Jesse. Samuel began to judge, according to human perception, the appearance of each son. He thought it was the boy that looked handsome, strong, intelligent, and of good character. The Lord, however, told him otherwise. The Lord said to Samuel that men judge according to human appearance, but He judges the person's heart. Samuel, then, tells Jesse if there was another son around because the Lord did not choose any of them. Sure enough Jesse tells Samuel that David was out tending the flock. David was a handsome man, but he did not have all the qualities that his brothers had. David pleased the Lord by searching and following the Lord's heart.

Jesus said to the Pharisees, "Woe to you Pharisees, you hypocrites! you are like whitewashed tombs, you appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth" (Mt. 23:27). The Pharisees liked to walk in high places where the people were able to see their nice garments, character, authority, function, and education. To be a Pharisee meant to be a strict follower of the law that was concerned with purity rituals. Jesus bashes them with words that strike the heart of every person. He admonish for looking good on the outside. They would not recognize their sins because it was covered up with their hypocrisy. In fact, their laws and practices meant that they did not need a savior because they were perfect.

At times, Christians can be just like the Pharisees, beautiful in the outside but corrupt in the inside. A person who is like a white washed tomb is a person that has not discovered the love of Christ in their lives. The Pharisees had no love for the people or their neighbor; they rejected the poor, despised the sinner, kept kingdom away from others unless they were part of the group. The same can happen to Christians who do not discover the love of God by loving their neighbor.

Moreover, Jesus said that inside of the tomb there is dead men's bones and disgusting things. The dead man is the person who has not been able to let go of his past or sins in his lives. He continues to live a life of sin by not allowing Christ to enter into his tomb, which is the heart. Some Christians say, "Yeah Christ died for my sins and I have the confidence in this." But this is not the reality, because to be believe that Christ died for our sins is to have the conviction that love covers our sins and fills our emptiness.

Let us look beyond appearances and search the heart. It is in the heart where the true presence of Christ must reign. If the love of Christ does not reign in the heart of man, then the person would imitate the pharisee. Christ comes and he speaks his Word to humanity. He enters the heart of the person to remove the filth and hypocrisy, so that His love can be evidence of victory and truth.