tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post2423958924873864848..comments2024-03-17T22:48:00.427+08:00Comments on Reflections and Ruminations: The call of the Good ShepherdFr Luke Fonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03079016104331055895noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-32148135873764840582012-05-02T23:55:15.372+08:002012-05-02T23:55:15.372+08:00Dear Father
My alma mater was (and still is) run ...Dear Father<br /><br />My alma mater was (and still is) run by the Good Shepherd sisters, and at assembly and school masses we often sang the hymn 'The Lord is My Shepherd, and I want to follow, wherever he leads me, wherever he goes.... '. The image of Jesus being there with his crook and his staff to lead the way if we ever walked in the valley of darkness was always comforting through the often dark and dangerous paths that I tread. <br /><br />Like you said, there are challenges and there are dark forces. While Jesus is the Good shepherd, I feel that we all are often called to be shepherds, especially when children come along. I know I try but I also know many hindsights later that the choices I make may not be the right ones even though they appear to have been the best ones I could have made in the circumstances. I guess that it is not only the Good Shepherd who calls, and often, I hear more than one voice. <br /><br />Sf.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-85834418368600326022012-05-02T15:42:22.705+08:002012-05-02T15:42:22.705+08:00Once, in one of our Teaching Seminars, I remember ...Once, in one of our Teaching Seminars, I remember vividly, the visiting Professor from the States gleefully telling us that as public speakers, teachers teaching in the classroom, must heed the 3-Ups – “stand-up to be seen, speak up to be heard and shut-up when you have nothing more to say!” But what is more important for teachers to have, are the 4 Cs – Care for those in your charge rather than the success of your teaching ; Compassion-for, your students are not things or statistics but individuals, so listen to them; Communication – that’s what the teaching-learning process is about and Competence – if you are not competent in the subject matter you are going to impart, you should not be there in the first place! That summarizes (according to him) a good teacher.<br /><br />This came back to me when I read your blog and asked myself why we call Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Unlike secular world leaders who issue out orders to be obeyed, driving their underlings from behind, this shepherd cares for his sheep for he knows each individually, guiding them safely to good pastures. In fact, he cares too much to the extent of laying down his life for all – saints and sinners alike. Compassion caused him not to condemn - even those who failed him, betrayed him or could not love him as they wished they could or should. This quality of his gentleness and compassion shines through the many episodes where he wept or prayed for..... Jerusalem, Lazarus, those who plotted evil against him. And he communicates......to the crowds but especially to his oft befuddled disciples.......patiently explaining in detail and correcting their mis-conceptions. We also see how frequently he slips away to be by himself - to communicate with his heavenly Father in prayer. As to competence - just run through the New Testament – probably, it was because his competence showed up the lack of it in the scribes and Pharisees that caused them to have a jaundiced view of him and gave them additional cause to ruthlessly seek his death.<br /><br /> So yes, our Lord is definitely the Good Shepherd and he is always calling to us but sometimes we choose not to hear his call because we are afraid ......for discipleship is a journey that involves failure, the way of the cross. However, what this Easter has made me remember is that – discipleship also involves forgiveness, repentance and the message from the empty tomb is that He will go before us if we, but trust and answer his call.<br /><br />God bless you, Fr.<br />tessaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com