The BEST Shepherd Sunday/Vocation Sunday 2017
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THE BEST SHEPHERD
Oh me, oh my. I left my pen and paper at home and I did not think it was prudent for me to take pictures because I was seated in front, so I have to rely on what I remember and my golly gulaman, my memory's not as photographic as before. I hope and pray that my mind wouldn't play tricks on me. If I forget what was said, I'll just rely on my old notes about similar teachings or I'll just put Biblical verses, applicable quotes or songs.
According to Rev. Father Francisco "Kit" Hernandez, Jesus was very modest/humble when He said that He IS the Good Shepherd. He is actually the BEST ever and no one, not even King David(I added this up because King David was also a very good shepherd even if he was not perfect) could compare to Him.
God is the BEST Shepherd because He is continuously
F-eeding us. He provides for us not just physical nourishment, but spiritual nourishment as well. He also blesses us with natural resources and natural energies like sunshine, rain, the air we breathe, et cetera, et cetera.
O-wning us
"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me." John 10:14
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27
D-efending us
"The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." 2 Thessalonians 3:3
"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:14
I left the fold I am currently in as a young girl(which my parents don't really understand because the Arnold Janssen system of education includes very good catechesis etc. then I transferred to St. Scho in High School, which is also very Catholic) and went back to this sheepfold via Opus Dei in my 20's (I'm almost 50 now)when I was in a non-sectarian university then I became a Dweller at Elim etc. I am currently serving my parish through singing, though I used to be the head of the Communications Ministry under the umbrella of the Commission of Education.
When I went back I was advised to speak to a small group explaining why left the fold and what made me come back. I do not regret getting out of the fold, because I believe it enriched my faith and made me love my faith more. I also met people there who are still like family to me and I respect what they believe in. As the songs say: We may worship in different ways, but together we will stand(I mashed them up).
Here are the exact lyrics of We Will Stand:
Sometimes it's hard for me to understand
Why we pull away from each other so easily
Even though we're all walking the same road
Yet we build dividing walls between
Our brothers and ourselves
But I, I don't care what label you may wear
if you believe in Jesus you belong with me
The bond we share is all I care to see
And we can change this world forever
if you will join with me
Join and sing, sing
You're my brother, you're my sister
So take me by the hand
Together we will work until He comes
There's no foe that can defeat us
When we're walking side by side
As long as there is love
We will stand
The day will come when we will be as one
And with a mighty voice together
We will proclaim that Jesus
Jesus is King
And it will echo through the earth
It will shake the nations
And the world will see
See that
You're my brother, you're my sister
So take me by the hand
Together we will work until He comes
There's no foe that can defeat us
When we're walking side by side
As long as there is love
We will stand
The time is here, the time is now
To take a stand, to make a vow
I won't let go, you're not alone
Now and forever we'll sing together
You're my brother, you're my sister
So take me by the hand
Together we will work until He comes
There's no foe that can defeat us
When we're walking side by side
As long as there is love
We will stand [x2]
Songwriters: TAFF, RUSS/HOLLIHAN, JAMES/TAFF, VICTORIA
We Will Stand lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
#ChristiansUnite #FirstCall
We may worship different ways
We may praise Him and yet spend all of our days
Living life divided
But when we seek Him with open hearts
He removes the walls we built that keep us apart
We trust Him to unite us
Chorus:
In our hearts, we're undivided
Worshipping one Saviour, one Lord
In our hearts, we're undivided
Bound by His spirit forevermoreve
Undivided
It doesn't matter if we agree
All He asks is that we serve Him faithfully
And love as He first loved us
He made us in His image
And in His eyes, we are all the same
And though out methods they may be different
Jesus is the bond that will remain
Repeat Chorus Twice
- Writer: Melodie Tunney
I did not need to be baptized and confirmed again
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VOCATION SUNDAY
Every person, of every degree, state, sex, or condition without exception, must have some personal and particular calling to walk in.
–William Perkins, A Treatise of the Vocations
God has a definite life-plan for every human person, girding him, visibly or invisibly, for some exact thing, which it will be the true significance and glory of his life to have accomplished. -Horace Bushnell, Sermons for the New Life
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING of the church men and women have set about following Christ with greater freedom and imitating him more closely through the practice of the evangelical counsels, each in their own way leading a life dedicated to God.
—Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life Perfectae Caritatis, no. 1
The fourth Sunday of Easter, besides being The Good Shepherd Sunday, is also Vocation Sunday. During the mass this morning, Rev. Father Rafael Rey M. Dela Cruz, SDB, SThD or simply Father Rey.
Oh my. Since this happened much earlier and I didn't even scribble anything because I was bothered by the heat etc., I'll just share some things that I vaguely remember:
As early as seven years old his playmates were already teasing him that he was going to be a priest.
When he was in Grade Five he had a terror teacher and to protect that person's image or something, he did not mention the name.
One time he and his classmates were lined up in a clinic he teased one of them lightly(a big guy) while his shirt was up...then the teacher learned about this, but the hearsay matter was blown out of proportion and he could not defend himself, so he just admitted his fault. Thankfully, he still passed grade five and was very grateful that the terror teacher would be left behind teaching the next batch of grade five students.
During the sixth grade he was happy to be "rid" of that teacher "forever", so he thought, but when a teacher got ill, that teacher substituted for her.
She called him in a low voice, "Dela Cruz..." So he wondered what in the world has he done wrong this time.
"Why don't you think of entering into the seminary?" (Something like that...)
This bothered him, but he pondered upon it and the rest is history(he also shared many anecdotes about his seminary life udring his past homilies---I regrettably deleted my other blog entries about them, but hey, I am writing about new memories...what is done is done...I must not cry over spilt milk).
Since I don't remember much else anymore, let me just share this song about vocation before I go:
