“Experiencing God’s Intimate Love and sharing His Love to all!”
(Based on Acts 4:8-12, 1 Jn 3:1-2 and Jn 10:11-18 – 4th Sunday of Easter)
An ingenious teenager, tired of reading bedtime stories to his little sister…
… decided to record several of her favourite stories on tape.
He told her: “Now you can hear your stories anytime you want.
Isn’t that great?”
She looked at the machine for a moment…
… and then replied, “No. It hasn’t got a lap!”
The little girl loved the stories that her elder sister recited to her…
… but what she loved most was her lap – the warmth of her love and affection!
No gadgets can ever replace love!
No modern technology can substitute personal affection!
We are called to be people who “experience God’s Intimate Love and share His Love to all!”
Yes, we are “valuable and precious”
… and called to become a good shepherd to one another!
The Gospel of the Day echoes the amazing melody of each one of us being “valuable and precious”, to Jesus, the Great Good Shepherd!
“I am the Good Shepherd,” says the Lord, “I know mine and mine know Me” (Jn 10:14)
The illustration of Jesus as the Shepherd is certainly one of the most endearing, popular and loved images in the whole of the Bible.
Undoubtedly, one of the most popular and loved Psalms is Psalm 23 – the Psalm of the Good Shepherd.
The picture of Jesus, the Good Shepherd that immediately comes to our mind, is usually that of Jesus, holding a little lamb in His sturdy hands…
… or of Jesus, the Shepherd trudging through the grasslands with many sheep, following and walking with Him, happily bouncing and frolicking.
As we enjoy and bask in the joy of this image of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, it is apt that we also meditate and reflect on some dimensions of the Heart of this Divine Shepherd…
- Each sheep is extremely personal, unique and precious to the Divine Shepherd’s Heart
The Good Shepherd has a very large number of sheep in His flock.
Yet each one is uniquely important to Him
He loves each one!
He treasures each one!
We must know that shepherds, back then, in the society, reared sheep, mainly not for meat…
… but more for its wool!
This would mean that the sheep would spend much time with the Shepherd
This would create a great bond and affection between the sheep and the Shepherd!
- The Divine Shepherd’s Heart is willing to make any sacrifice, even His life
Unlike a hired hand, the Divine Shepherd has a tremendous sense of responsibility and is attached to His sheep.
This makes Him undergo any pain, any suffering, any sacrifice for the sake of His beloved sheep…
… even to the point of laying down His life.
- The Divine Shepherd’s Heart longs to bring back the ones which have strayed
The Divine Shepherd is aware of many sheep that are not yet part of His fold.
He longs for them…
He seeks to bring them to Him…
He yearns to make them part of His fold…
Luke Chapter 15 – the great Chapter of God’s Amazing Mercy – tells us of how the Good Shepherd goes out in search of the one lost sheep…
… reminding us that “each one of us is precious to the Lord” and He wants us back to Him! (Lk 15:3-7)
We are invited to deepen our understanding of the Heart of the Divine Shepherd.
At the same time, we are also challenged to possess a heart, resembling that of the Divine Shepherd…
a. Do I have a heart that treasures and values each person who have been entrusted to my care…
Nurturing them, being responsible for them, appreciating and encouraging them…
Leading them to the pastures of holiness and the flowing waters of grace and mercy…
b. Do I have a heart willing to offer sacrifices for the ones entrusted to my care…
Getting out of our comfort zones to help others…
Giving up certain comforts to reach out to the needy…
Foregoing personal luxuries to become a light to a person in darkness…
c. Do I have a heart that yearns to bring back the ones who have strayed away from the right path…
Those who have lost the focus in life
Those who are staying away from the Church and Her Precious Sacraments
Those who have addicted themselves to many vices and bad pleasures of life
The Church needs shepherds, after the Heart of the Great Shepherd.
St Peter, in the Acts of the Apostles, was made to understand the need to reach out the Good News of the Lord, even to the Gentiles…
… and make no distinction, in disseminating God’s Free Gift of Salvation to all!
The Great Shepherd constantly invites us all to give heed to His voice…
… and if necessary, to even correct ourselves so that we can be on the right path.
Often, many of us, as shepherds go astray….
… failing to cater to the needs of the sheep
… failing to be faithful and honest to their vocation
… failing to be available and willing to forego personal comforts.
May each of us, lean closer to the Heart of our Divine Lord, knowing that each one of us is precious and special to Him…
… resting in the bosom of His Presence
… feeding from the Food He offers in the Holy Eucharist
… attuning ourselves more to Him by listening to His Holy Word
And thus, becoming a good shepherd, according to the Heart of the Great Good Shepherd!
In this tech-savvy world, let us remember…
… no gadgets can ever replace love!
… no modern technology can substitute personal affection!
We are called to be people who “experience God’s Intimate Love and share His Love to all!”
God Bless! Live Jesus!
📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – THE HUMAN COMMUNITY – SOCIAL JUSTICE
The virtue of solidarity goes beyond material goods.
In spreading the spiritual goods of the faith, the Church has promoted and often opened new paths for, the development of temporal goods as well.And so throughout the centuries has the Lord’s saying been verified: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” (CCC # 1942)
Reflection Capsules 