DAILY- HOMILY

MAY 3, 2009
FEAST, PHILIP AND JAMES, APOSTLES
4TH SUNDAY OF EASTER – B

ACTS 4:8-12
Then Peter, filled with the holy Spirit, answered them, "Leaders of
the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good
deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, then all
of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the
name of Jesus Christ the Nazarean whom you crucified, whom God raised
from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. He is
`the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the
cornerstone.' There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there
any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to
be saved."

1 JOHN 3:1-2
See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the
children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what
we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is
revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

JOHN 10:11-18
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."

REFLECTION
The fourth Sunday of Easter is focused on the Good Shepherd. Jesus is
the "good shepherd" par excellence. It is quite difficult for us to
truly appreciate this image of Jesus for the whole idea of shepherd is
quite unfamiliar with many of us. Nonetheless what can be relevant are
certain features or traits of the shepherd.

First, "the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his
sheep." It is equivalent to saying that the shepherd is willing to die
for those entrusted to his care. This implies the capacity of the
shepherd to forget oneself, to die to oneself so that others may live.
Jesus emphasizes that, in giving his life for his sheep, he is doing
so of his own will. It is not just by force of circumstances. His
death is to be the living proof that "the greatest love a person can
show is to give one's life for one's friends". This is the proof that
Jesus truly is a Good Shepherd. This good shepherd contrasts with the
hired one who is mainly concerned with his own welfare. Anything or
any situation that puts him at risk, he will simply leave his flock
for fear that his very life will be sacrificed. This is a "I" or "me
first" mentality.

Secondly, a good shepherd, he knows his sheep and they know him. There
is a mutual bond of love and intimacy. That love is compared to the
deep mutual relationship that exists between Jesus and his Father.
Again the hired man or the self-interested leader will not have such a
relationship with his charges.

Finally, the good shepherd desires for universality as seen in this:
"There are other sheep I have that are not of this fold and these I
have to lead as well. There will be only one flock, and one shepherd".
The good shepherd deeply aims that many other sheep should come to
identify themselves with him. The ultimate goal is that "there will be
only one flock, and one shepherd", that the whole world will be united
together with its God and Lord.

This is the meaning of the Kingdom which is at the heart of the Gospel
message. This is a goal which preoccupies us still today. There are
still so many millions of people who have not yet heard the message of
a loving God, a God who sent his only Son to die for them. They seek
meaning and happiness in their lives by pursuing all kinds of other
goals which inevitably turn to ashes: material abundance, status in
the eyes of others, power over others, mistaking pleasure and hedonism
for happiness.

This clearly shows an outright rejection of what Jesus has to offer.
We are then not to be surprised if we, ourselves, who are earnest in
sharing Jesus will likewise not be welcomed.

No matter how closely we follow in the footsteps of our Shepherd, in
fact, the more closely we follow him, the more likely it is that we
will be rejected and even attacked. More tragic still, however, there
are so many people who claim Christ as Lord, many of them very good
and sincere people, who are often divided, even bitterly divided among
themselves.

In this regard, there is all the more the need to follow one Shepherd
and form one flock. Otherwise how can we give witness to the love of
Christ if that love is lacking among those who claim to be companions
of Jesus?

PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the healing and strength of Sophia Gonzalez
… for the personal intentions of Margie R. Ponce de Leon
… for the safety of Johnson Cuiting
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Dennis Cham
- Birthday: Helen Yao
- Birthday: Elizabeth Khu
- Birthday: John Ortiz
- Birthday: Jorge Ting
- Thanksgiving: Katherine & Lee Comer
- Wedding Anniversary: Johannson & Marge Tee
- Wedding Anniversary: Noel & Sophie Bate
- In Memoriam (+): Marcelo Tansengco
… for the healing and peace of all families

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers
and for those who need our prayers the most.

Have a good day!

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