THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

 

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

 

“Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom….” – Isaiah 40:11

 

My pet cat Casper had an appetite problem. He was choosy with food and ate like a bird. So whenever he skipped a meal, I thought that was normal. But when Casper was one year old, he didn’t eat for five days. He got thinner and weaker. I got alarmed because if it continued, he could die. So I brought him to the vet and had him confined. The following morning, I visited him. When I saw him inside the cage looking weak and helpless, my heart sank. It pained me to see him in that condition. After he was discharged, I continued to give him his medications and my tender loving care. He recovered and his appetite improved. He is now four years old and is strong and healthy.

If I can be compassionate over a sick cat, just think how much more our Heavenly Father is to us. The Lord knows our pain, our suffering and our concerns. When we hurt, it breaks His heart. We can rest assured that like a shepherd, He will care for us, comfort us, protect us and be always on our side. Judith Concepcion (svp_jmc@yahoo.com)

 

REFLECTION:

“You may call God love, you may call God goodness. But the best name for God is compassion.” (Meister Eckhart)

 

Jesus, my eternal Shepherd, my soul finds rest in You.

 

 

TO BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

John the Baptist tells the people that there is someone coming who will baptize them in the Holy Spirit, not just water. I wonder what they thought about this? I wonder what we think about it today also. We live in a very materialistic world where the language and understanding of the Holy Spirit is not often used or spoken. It seems that we are becoming used to not having much to do with the Holy Spirit.

The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to us in Baptism. When Jesus is baptized, the Sacrament of Baptism is given its everlasting power and character. Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, sanctifies the waters of Baptism with not just the forgiveness of sins, but also the gift of the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Holy Spirit is sort of a welcome gift as we come into God’s family. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we must learn to live our lives. This is where the role of the parents and godparents is so crucial to the newly baptized – it is their responsibility to form the newly baptized in the life of faith.

The best way to form anyone is to be a living example. It is thus essential that godparents are men and women who are active in their faith and willing to share their faith with their godchild. Too often today, this is the least of the concerns of many parents in their choice of godparents for their children. (The same is even more often true when choosing godparents for marriage!) It is time that we rediscover the true meaning of many of the practices of the Church and disencumber them from the debris that has accumulated around them down through the centuries.

The role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is important and we must take it seriously. If we fail to do this, we will not only be doing a disservice to ourselves, but also to all those who look up to us for an example of a life of faith. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

 

Reflection Question:

How faithfully do I depend upon and surrender my life to the grace of the Holy Spirit? What areas in my life do I need to change so that I will be a better example of Christian living for others?

 

Come, Holy Spirit, empower me to live the life of a disciple of Jesus, and help me to remove every aspect of my life that is not a good example of faith for others.

 

St. Thomain, pray for us.