27/16 My Monologues & Musings : “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.”
(Jn 10 :1-6)
“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.”
Dear Jesus,
You compared the leadership of the Pharisees as those who avoid the front door or gate of the sheep-pen through which the real genuine shepherds enter and lead into it for the night and lead them out in the morning. Only thieves and robbers avoid the front door and sneak in through devious ways. The false shepherds sneak in to steal and to rob the sheep. They are thieves and robbers who approach the sheep not to protect them but to steal them.
Dear Jesus,
I thank all those shepherds in my life:
Starting with You, the Good Shepherd.
Then there are other shepherds :
who are my parents and grandparents, siblings and other members of the family, the teachers, priests, friends and well wishers.
All of them loved me.
They cared for me.
They protected me.
They guided me.
They encouraged me.
They forgave me.
Dear Jesus,
I am ever grateful to You!
And to them!
Dear Jesus,
As you know I too have been a shepherd to many:
As a priest,
As a pastor,
As a teacher and a friend.
But I wonder :
Whether I have been a good shepherd to them.
Sometimes, Yes.
I have been a good shepherd to them.
I am glad about it.
But many a times I have sneaked in the garb of a shepherd:
To steal them and to rob them,
To exploit them and to lead them astray through my evil ways.
I am sorry, Lord:
For being a thief, a robber,
And for being a false shepherd.
May I lead them astray no more!
Dear Jesus,
As a priest and as a pastor, i guess, I have been an above average shepherd.
Yet many a times the motive behind my shepherding was selfish.
It was often:
to make a name for myself!
to stay in the limelight!
to steal the show!
to rob all the credit!
to get praise and applause!
That's me, at times!
Dear Jesus,
Yet all the while you have been very patiently shepherding me, right?
Thank you, Jesus, my Good Shepherd!
Oh, Jesus, My Lord and My God,
I thank You,
I thank the Father,
I thank the Spirit,
For Your Unsolicited gift of life for me!
For Your Uncountable blessings for me!
For Your Unlimited Patience with me!
For Your Untold Forgiveness for me!
For Your Unflinching faith in me!
For Your Unfailing Hope in me!
For Your Unconditional Love of me!
Amen
JoAchen
Wednesday, 27th January, 2016
These Reflections are neither pure scientific exegesis nor are they any highly theological explanations. They are a sort of devotional musings and monologues mainly meant for my personal renewal and spiritual growth. They are a part of my journaling of the Prodigal Priest in me as I struggle to return to the Home of our Heavenly Father. As I keep holding you in my prayers and I request you to include me in yours. Thank you!
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