‘She-pherds’ and ‘He-pherds’

Our first shepherds are our parents, and the first thing they taught us when we were still babies was to close and open our hands while singing “Close, open, close, open!” Another early lesson they taught was to smile while saying “Beautiful eyes! Beautiful eyes!”

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. We honor Jesus, the Good Shepherd who reminds us today that we all have a mission to shepherd and care for our flock. Today is also World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Let us also renew the call, the vocation for all of us to love, to teach, to lead, and to guide, one another.

In today’s Gospel (John 10:11-18), Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. He is not a shepherd for hire nor for the pay, but one who has concern, one who does not run away, and one who is willing to give His very life for the sheep. Are you a good shepherd for free or for a fee?

Are you going through life with open hands or closed fists? Are your hands open to give and to share, or are your hands closed so tight in selfishness and pride? Let us ask the Lord today to bless and use our hands to serve and to give, while we still live. Wanted: Generous shepherds/shepherdesses!

Learn from the monkeys. They would grab anything they could, and hold on to it and would not let go, even till death. How much money do we hoard and hold on to? Till when will we hold on to our pride and ill feelings? When will we let go of our worldly wealth and illusions? Remember, we can never hold on to God’s hands as long as our hands are closed and defiant.

“Beautiful eyes”! Are you going through life with “beautiful eyes” or with sad and angry eyes? Let the Good Shepherd remind us that despite trials and difficulties, we should be strong and hopeful, and continue to spread the light and not become agents of doom and gloom. Wanted: Joyful and inspiring shepherds/shepherdesses!

Let us be reminded once more that we who serve or claim to be public servants should simply be just that—a servant. Public service is not self-service. Period. “None of us lives as his own master and none of us dies as his own master. While we live we are responsible to the Lord, and when we die, we die as His servants.” (Romans 14:7-9)

Public servants, how is your service? Service with “grease”? Service for a fee? Service for dynasty? Service with an army? The bottom line is that when we come before our Lord and Master, at the end of our lives, may we not be carrying with us dirty time, talents, and treasures, and unshared time, talents, and treasures. Stay clean. Stay loving. This is our universal vocation and calling.

We honor Mamang Charito Colet, wife of former Pangasinan governor Rafael Colet, a good shepherdess to her children and grandchildren, a sincere and humble friend, and a steady prayer warrior to so many, including me. A meaningful life of 87 years, and a beautiful death, surrounded with so much love, joy, and God’s will and presence till the very end. She just slept peacefully into eternity. Till we meet again in the Resurrection! Pray for us, for our country, and for the world, Mamang Charito, as we pray for you, too.

Think about this: The weather is so hot these days! So is hell. But here, we have remedies to beat the heat, but in hell, it is like a sauna, with no end and no exit.

A moment with the Lord.

Lord, thank you for the good shepherds/shepherdesses you send our way. May we, too, become so. Amen.