Point of Reflection: HOW TO BE A GOOD SHEEP?

Point of Reflection (GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY): HOW TO BE A GOOD SHEEP?
In order for us to become a good shepherd, we understand how to be a good sheep first.

1) KNOW the voice of the Shepherd

2) LISTEN 

3) FOLLOW the Shepherd
(John 10:27-30)


But in this present world, of so much noise and voices, how to know/recognize the voice and listen to? The voice is the VOICE OF LOVE and TRUTH. We hear Him through intimacy in PRAYER and conscience.  - Fr. Louie, Good Shepherd Sunday mass, St. Padre Pio Center

The Lord seldom scream, He whispers in a low and loving voice. So like the sheep, it won't scare them away.

Today we offer this sunday to all the Sheperds of the church, the missionaries, the guides, the priests,deacon, head of different ministry, other vocation, especially to our pope Francis who radiates humility and kindness.

" Lord, help me become a sensible sheep so i may always recognize your voice. listen and follow wherever you lead me.I also pray for my shepherd, the leaders, our pope that they may be, like Christ a good Shepherd who would lay down their life in love and service.amen."

Who is your First Love?

Early morning as I leave for work. A song popped up in my memory entitled First love. This was the song dedicated also to me by my pinakada best friend Lot2...I tried searching for the lyrics and guitar chords because she used to sing and play this with her guitar during breaktime in highschool back then in CMULHS, Musuan, Bukidnon.

FIRST LOVE

Remember when you first knew in your heart that He loves you
And all you wanted to do with your time is to spend it all with Him
Remember when you first knew in your heart you would follow
And all you wanted to do with your time was to always be with Him

Then everything seems brand new
All you wanted to do was to seek His face
Hear His words and hold Him deep within you

Chorus:

Your first love is here right now,
He will never ever leave you
He would never let you down
Your first love is here right now.
Remember and return to your first love

Oh Jesus is here, let Him hold you
Hold him close, hold him near you
No one loves you more, there's no one like the Lord!

Your First love is here right now
Remember and return to your ..First love

HIS PLAN FOR YOUR MATE

You long to give yourself completely to someone...
Have a deep soul relationship with another...
To be loved thoroughly and exclusively

BUT GOD SAYS

NO, not until you are satisfied fulfilled and content
With being loved by Me alone...
With giving yourself totally unreservedly to Me...
To have an intensely personal and unique relationship with Me alone,
Discovering that in Me is your satisfaction to be found,
Then you will be capable of the perfect human relationship
 that I have planned for you.

You will never be united with another until you are united with Me.
Exclusively of anyone or anything else,
exclusively of any other desires or longings,
I want you to stop planning...
    stop wishing and allow Me
   to give you the most thrilling plan existing....
One that you cannot imagine.

I want you to have the best.
Please allow me to bring it to you.
Just expect the greatest things..keep listening and learning
Just wait. that's all.

DON'T BE ANXIOUS. DON'T WORRY.

Don't look around at the things other have gotten
    or that I have given them.
Don't look at the things you think you want.
Just keep looking off away and up to Me
    or you'll miss the things I want to show you.

And then when you're ready,
I'll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than what you dream of

You see, until you are ready and until that one I have for you is
Until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life I have prepared for you,
You can't experience the love that exemplifies your relationship
and thus, PERFECT LOVE.

And dear one, I want you to have this wonderful love in my time.
I want you to see in flesh, a picture of yourself with Me.
and enjoy materially and concretely that everlasting union of beauty,
  perfection and love that I offer you with Myself.

Know that I love you utterly. Believe and be satisfied. :)

Listen!!!

The book of Job is the story of a good man who suffers total disaster - he loses his children and property and afflicted with a repulsive disease. Although God loved Job, his faithful servant. He allowed Satan to test his faith. What if Job lost everything? Job was still faithful, but wants to prove to God that he was innocent, that he don't deserve such cruel punishment. His friends, Bildad, Zaphar, Eliphaz listened to his complaints and tried to explain Job's suffering. (Book of Job, GNT)

But a bystander named Elihu, a young man who was filled with the Spirit of God said to Job, 

"Why do you accuse God of never answering our complaints? Although God speaks again and again, no one pays attention to what He says" - Job 33:13-14

This was very striking for me, after reading the book of Job. I heard my own complaints, but was awed by the magnificence of God. Yes, who knows the mind of the Lord? It's too great for us. The speeches made by Elihu to Job shouts, listen!!(read through Speeches of Elihu Job 32-37). I myself, was quieted with my complaints...especially when God finally answered Job.

finally, let me share to you a beautiful prayer of humility from Job

I know, Lord, that you are all powerful; 

That you can do everything you want.

You ask how I dare question your wisdom

when I was so very ignorant.

I talked about things i did not understand,

about marvels too great for me to know.

You told me to listen while you spoke

and to try to answer your questions.

In the past I knew only what others had told me,

But now I have seen you with my own eyes.

So I am ashamed of all I have said

and repent in dust and ashes.

                                                     - Job 42:2-6

I still do complain to God like Job, at times. Or choose to listen what I only want to hear. or worse, don't listen at all on what He wants to tell me or what He wants me to do!

But as God loved me, He was patient and try to deliver messages through readings, reflections, through friends, the Mass and other people. Sometimes even gave unfortunate events, just to make us STOP and LISTEN. This made me soo grateful and loved by Him.

Be still my friend....pause and be silent. What was God's message to you today?..Listen. =)

God bless you!

be more inspired through this page like : http://www.facebook.com/IAmACatholicByHeart

FROM ONE FRIEND TO ANOTHER

I am sharing with you one of the beautiful prayers, we prayed about love and friendship. Before reading this...Assume yourself facing a special friend or you may think about your family, brothers or sisters, friends, more so those you find difficult. In the same way, you are facing Jesus.

I Thank God, I have you. God Bless you friend. I LOVE YOU.

  GOD IS LOVE - " We cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love    others, whom we have seen." - 1 John 4:20

  FROM ONE FRIEND TO ANOTHER
                            
Friend, I don't know how to tell you,
How much I love you
And how much I need you.
I love you because I see you are happy
And because with Love, 
You listen to my words
and keep my lengthy secrets
I love you because, you approach me with respect,
You accept my silence or my outbursts,
You lift me when I fall
And encourage me in my dreams.
You are not scandalized by my sin
Nor condemn me for my limitations.

I need you brother, sister
To receive your advice,
To give what I have,
To share my faith, 
To tell you what I feel.
And to sing with you.

Thank you my friend,
For the transparency of your heart, 
and because through you, I can see
the serene, broad, happy, neat
great Big smile of God himself.

(taken from "My Brother and Sister", retreat for PLW Guides, 
January 11-13, 2013 at Holy Spirit Mission Retreat Center, Tagaytay)

POINT OF REFLECTION: ONLY THE HUMBLE CAN COME BEFORE GOD

According to St. Therese of Avila, one of the shortest and powerful prayer before God is 'Help'

'Suffering and trials are part of being a disciple of Christ. God never promised a life without burden. Because it's like a camel with no humps, is not a camel at all! 
- Thursday mass, EDSA Shrine (Matthew 11:25-30)

What is the Gospel according to me?

Point of reflection: We call ourselves Christian - Everyday, we are writing a new chapter of the Gospel, by the deeds that you do, words that you speak...What is the Gospel according to you?

Are we living the Gospel daily? - Mark 16:15-20, Solemnity of Ascencion of our Lord Jesus Christ, mass PICC Feast 

(aba,napaisip isip ng kailaliman...am I, am I not?)

I was struck by the message of the priest during the Eucharistic celebration. Those words spoke directly to me, and into my heart. 

In the gospel, our Lord Jesus Christ commanded His disciples, Go out to the world and tell the Good News. (Mark 16:15) This was the mission Christ has given to each person who exclaim, "I am Christian."

Let me share to you some reflections I had:

First, I am a Christian. 
Therefore, am I living the greatest commandment to love my neighbor as Jesus loved me? (John 15:12)

As I recount how I value others as myself, I begged for His infinite mercy and grace. I admit, I was a hypocrite at times (quick to judge or consider myself more righteous), talk about others, proud,felt fear, frustrated, impatient, and on and on for all those failures. But praise God, He does not focus on my sin but on how much He loved me. He focuses on is Love, because He is Love Himself.  Therefore, if I focus on how much He loved me....may I learn to love others more also, as Jesus loved.

Second, the Gospel. How do I live the Gospel if I don't even manage to study more about the Gospel? 

            I was happy, during the mass..I was sitting with one of my favorite friend named Rem, short for Rem me Dios. Who's presence at that moment reminded me of the Bible - The Good News. I asked myself, "how well do I know about the Gospel?" 
I realized, for a while that i was taking my Bible for granted, even though she was with me everyday. She wants to show me more!

Third, is my time with God my PRIME priority? Do i nurture  my relationship with Him daily through Sacred Half Hour? (Sacred half hour is 30-minutes period meditating on God's Word and prayer. An intense moment with the Lord. Learn more about this on Prayer  and Life Workshops ) Do I value "me and my God" time?

Fourth, I am His disciple a friend of God. How much do I serve? Do I serve for our Father's glory or my glory?

 Do I seek every opportunity to speak about Him, about His love? 

Do I listen through inspired teachings through the priests during mass, Bro. Bo's talk at the Feast, inspirational books and songs, learning well from mentors and life experiences of my brothers and sisters?

Living everyday and in every situation, "What would Jesus do in my place?"

Fifth, I am a member of the Light of Jesus Community. Do I live as I should? Loving as God's beloved and God's powerful Champion. Blessed and sharing blessings to the world and every stranger? 

Lastly, the priest said. "Batiin mo ang katabi mo at sabihin. Kapatid, may mission ka!" Yes, the great Commission as the song goes "TAKE CHRIST TO THE WORLD, SHOW THAT WE ARE HIS BY THE WAY WE LIVE..." (this includes the special mission He planted in our hearts according to our skills for His greater glory.)

As one of the talks says, not everyone knows about the Love of Christ, much less read about the Bible and learn about the Good News of our salvation...we tell the world  by the way we live. When we begin to transform ourselves, we transform the world.

Let's pray. 

 Dear Lord, You called me by name to take part in this great Commission to tell the Good News of our Salvation....You loved me, simply because you Love me. 

I pray dear Father, that I commit myself to know more about you. Take time to get to know more of You through the Bible, life experiences, talks and participating in the Holy Mass.

 I thank you for all you've done. For saving me. May my soul always hunger and be thirsty of you, of your love...knowing that You are my Bread of Life. The Living Water who cleanses me and quenches this dryness in me. 

Holy Spirit, guide me, inspire me, strengthen me.  That as I continue to uphold the Light of Jesus to every soul I meet, every soul I serve. I am serving through Christ. Lord remind me that if I suffer. I don't suffer alone, because Christ is in me. 

May anything and everything every day be a dare (challenge) for me to be a Gospel and a Testimony. That Jesus lives forever in me, through me. Create in me a clean heart, Oh God. That my every intention would never be about my personal glory..But for your glory Father God. All through Christ our Lord with great joy. Amen.

This week, His love overflowed in me. I can't contain the joy inside me. His goodness overwhelmed me...

His Love was simply waiting for you. Right here, right now... He loves you too, How can you not love?

God bless us all! :)