Acts 4:8-12 | Psalm 117:1.8-9.21-23.26.28-28 |1 John.3:1-2 | John 10:11-18
Today the Church celebrates the Good Shepherd Sunday and the Gospel reading presents Jesus as the Good Shepherd who cares for his flock. It is customary today to pray for leaders, especially ecclesiastical leaders that they might follow the example of Jesus the Good Shepherd in all they do, as well as for vocations to the Priestly and religious life.
There are many passages in the Old Testament that speak of God as the Shepherd of Israel. It is easier to understand the analogy of a shepherd and his flock in the context of the traditional life in the time of Jesus that resulted from centuries of the nomadic lifestyle in which shepherding the flock featured prominently in their lifestyle. The care, protection, and guidance that a shepherd gives to the flock gradually became for the Israelites a metaphor for understanding God’s love, guidance, care, and protection against the constant aggression from their enemies. The Psalmist expresses this in various ways; The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want (Ps 23:1). Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph’s flock! (Ps 80:1). We are his people and the sheep of his flock (Ps 100:3). The prophet Isaiah also sees the Messiah as the shepherd of God’s people who will feed his flock like a shepherd, and gather the lambs in his arms (Isaiah 40:11), and many more.
Peter was bold, in the first reading, to remind the Jewish leaders what should be their function: to protect and care rather than condemn and punish. Instead of rejoicing that a cripple is healed, they were rather worried that the healing was done by a group they would rather not have, the followers of Jesus. Having crucified Jesus, it was disturbing to them to learn that they could still have to contend with the effects of his power working through his disciples. One can imagine their feeling when Peter declared that it is only in the name of Jesus that salvation, both temporal and eternal, can be obtained. The stone which they, the builders rejected, has become the cornerstone. The action of the Jewish leaders depicts that of a hired man that Jesus spoke about in the Gospel reading. The hired man does not feel responsible for the sheep and therefore abandons it once it gets attacked. He is out to seek his interest rather than that of the sheep, just as the Jewish leaders were more interested in exerting their authority on the people than having someone else solve their problems and therefore risk diverting their allegiance. Jesus, on the contrary, is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. He knows his sheep and they know him. Moreover, he is so close to them that they know his voice.
By contrasting the good shepherd with the hired man, Jesus brings out the traits of a good leader. A good leader is not a boss who commands the subjects around like the earthly leaders, but a servant leader. He goes ahead of the people he leads, clears every danger on the way, prepares good pasture for them so that they can properly feed and rest peacefully. Psalm 23 details the function of a good shepherd from the perspective of what God does for the Israelites. Considered in this context, and in contrast with the actions of the Jewish leaders at the instance of the healing of the cripple at the Beautiful Gate, the readings set the stage for us to evaluate how our leadership at various levels mirror that of Jesus who heals, teaches, cares, protects, forgives, loves, and guide us unto eternal life.
When Jesus described himself as the Good Shepherd, he employed the Greek word “Kalos” (Ego eimi ho poimen ho Kalos – ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός), which refers to that which is intrinsically good, ideal and a model that others could imitate. The goodness of Jesus is inherent in his being, and therefore authentic, as opposed to aesthetic, fanciful, and temporal goodness that is dependent on situations and other interests. The goodness that is external to one’s nature does not survive in the face of challenges. It could be likened to cosmetic or aesthetic goodness. This does not define a person’s identity but only says something about his or her appearance. To look good is different from being good. Appearance and reality are not the same. We should look good as well as be good.
Jesus, therefore, challenges us to imitate his goodness, honesty, and dependability in the leadership and fellowship in our community, and in all our dealings with people. This kind of goodness does not wane even in the face of challenges or trials. Peter and his fellow apostles did not deny the truth of Jesus even in the face of the hostile Jewish leaders just as Jesus, while subjected to extreme torture and insults while hanging on the cross, responded with a prayer of forgiveness for his unjust aggressors rather than call for vengeance.
The Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. This is why Jesus Christ is both shepherd and lamb. Hence, he died to save his flock as a lamb of sacrifice, prefigured by the Passover Lamb, willingly laying down his life for us. He is our Ransom. In the consciousness of this fact, we can say with the psalmist: “Even though I walk through the valley of Shadow of death I shall fear no evil (Ps 23:4)” knowing that Jesus the Good Shepherd is always with us. The psalmist says “with your rod and your staff you give me comfort”. The staff of the Good Shepherd is the cross. As God worked through the rod of Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt, so does he deliver us from death through the Cross of Jesus. When the valley of death threatens, the Lord whispers to us in a gentle voice: “Be of good cheers, I have conquered the world” (Jn.16:33).
It is our duty, therefore, to give a listening ear to Jesus, our Good Shepherd. He knows us, his flock, and expects us to know him in return, and follow him as he leads us to greener pasture. He will never desert us. Hence, it is for us to live in trustful faith in him, learning in our turn to show the same care, love, and protection to those around us who need it. People will only feel the presence and care of Jesus through us, just as the man at the Beautiful Gate experienced the healing power of Jesus through his Apostles. May the celebration of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, enable us to make the necessary effort to become good followers of Jesus, and in turn be good leaders who love, care, protect, guide, and give a good example to our children and those around us. Peace be with you.
Today is Palm Sunday which begins the Holy Week. The Palm Sunday event marks Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem to accomplish his redemptive mission of saving humanity from eternal damnation through his passion, death, and resurrection. This event and the joyful acclamation of the crowd show Jesus as Messiah and King. When the crowd acclaimed Jesus as the Son of David (Hosanna to the son of David), they allude to his royal credentials, and when they acknowledged him as “He who comes in the name of the Lord”, the Messiah is understood, that is, the one who is promised to Israel.
On this triumphal procession, Jesus chose to ride on a colt, not on horseback as would kings and earthly warlords. His choice of the poor humble animal highlights his humility and justifies his identity as the prince of peace. His humble procession shows the nature of his victory. He is humble yet victorious, gentle and triumphant; teaching us the gallantry of meekness. In him, we see the power of humility. Hence, all the readings this Sunday highlight Jesus’ humble obedience to carry out the will of the Father who sent him into this world for our redemption.
In the first reading from the prophet Isaiah (Is.50:4-7), Jesus is depicted as the Suffering Servant of the Lord whom the Lord wakes up every morning to listen to his word as a disciple, so as to know how he would respond to the weary hearts. This text reminds us that a true prophet is a person of prayer who regularly listens to God in a master-disciple relationship so as to be able to communicate to the people what God really commands. No one can speak God’s word meaningfully to others without first listening prayerfully to the word himself. Jesus is a classic example of this. His life and ministry were filled with constant prayers and solitude (Mark 1:35; Mark 6:46; Luke 6:12; Luke 11:1).
St Paul exhorts us in the second reading to embrace a deeper life of Christian love and unity by making every effort to avoid any form of self-seeking and self-aggrandizing behavior, but rather to be humble and self-effacing. We are to emulate the humility and self-emptying attitude taken by Jesus who, though he was divine yet “humbled himself becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him…. at the name of Jesus, every knee should bend and every tongue confesses that Jesus is the Lord” (Phil. 2:8-10). Humility is an important mark of discipleship. There are two types of Christian discipleship: those who follow Jesus in their own terms, doing things their own ways, and those who follow Jesus in obedience, striving to follow the teachings of Jesus the way he taught them. Both are separated by subtle pride and humility. While pride marks the first group, the second group is recognizable by their act of humility. Genuine love and humility of heart are indispensable for anyone that really wants to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
Today’s Gospel reading comes before the procession with palms and relates to the event of Palm Sunday. Jesus triumphantly went into Jerusalem knowing full well what awaits him there – betrayal, rejection, and crucifixion. His entry into Jerusalem, riding a colt, was a direct fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy of Zechariah (9:9): “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem. Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, and riding on a donkey and upon a colt the foal of a donkey”. The colt was a sign of peace. Jesus enters Jerusalem in meekness and humility, as the Messianic King who offers victory and peace to his people. The crowd threw their cloaks on the road to express their homage to him. But just as we shall see in the Passion narrative, most of these same persons who welcomed Jesus with shouts of joy also joined to demand his crucifixion. Thus, the children of the kingdom are not just those who welcome and praise Jesus every Sunday, but those that maintain their position in times of trial. The cloaks we need to lay down for Jesus are our pride and material objects of glory. When we throw them at his feet, acknowledging our nothingness and acclaiming his Majesty, he will reign in our hearts. We know that Jesus does not reign like the kings of the earth who suppress their subjects. He reigns with love and peace in the spiritual kingdom that knows no geographical boundaries, in the hearts of his faithful.
The long passion narrative takes us on the journey of how Jesus was betrayed and unjustly condemned to death. He humbly and willingly undergoes his passion, carrying his cross to Calvary to embrace his ignoble crucifixion in the hands of human beings who allowed themselves to be instruments of denial, betrayal, false-witness, perverse-judgment, mockery, inhuman torture, and so on. There are many actors in this event: the betrayer (Judas), the accusers (Jewish leaders), the judge (Pontus Pilate), the crowd, the soldiers, Jesus’ disciples, and Jesus himself. We have seen the role each played. It is probably important to reflect on the role we play in the various events and encounters with people around us, and cross-check if any of them corresponds with those played in the Gospel narrative. That could be a mirror to evaluate our actions.
As we commemorate Jesus’ passion and death and reflect on the ignoble act of human wickedness meted to him, we pray for the grace not only to avoid playing such negative roles in our lives but also to work against such measures wherever we find them. May the Lord’s passion and death heal us and strengthen us, so that we may follow Him more obediently in love and to give Him the first place in our lives. May his teaching and values determine and color our daily decisions and choices. Amen.
The 28th of February 2021 marked the official first Sunday mass held by the Filipino Catholic Community of Gouda (FCC-Gouda) & Surroundings at the H-Josephkerk as the community has now moved to this new location at Aalberseplein 2 in Gouda. To also officially bid farewell to the community’s old location, last month’s 4th Sunday service was held at the O.L.V. Hemelvaartkerk, which actually served not only as a venue for church services but also as a home for FCC-Gouda in the past 23 years. Marking this transition from old to new, this month’s eucharistic celebration also highlighted the celebration of married couples, who gladly received prayers for blessings of joy, strength, empowerment and love from the community.
Led by Fr. Marcel Uzoigwe, the following prayer and blessings were bestowed not only upon the couples who were present that day but also to all couples watching from home as well as all couples from the Filipino Community of Gouda & Surroundings, the Parish and all those who worship at the H-Josephkerk.
“Dear God, we are praying for all couples in this community and also all couples in this parish—the Dutch community and all who worship here. Father, we ask you who planted the love in them and right from the beginning to refresh and renew their love for one another. Give them the heart to love and to forgive. Give them the grace to forgive. Strengthen them, empower them and be with them in their times of pain. Be with them in their times of confusion. It is your great will that they continually have fulfilling love relationships. Don’t abandon them and don’t leave them. Come into their lives. Renew, bless, uplift, strengthen, and empower them. Let their love for one another grow everyday and let them be a sacrament of your presence who is love Himself. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!”
As the song entitled “Through the Years” is being played as background music, each married couple received a rose and a nicely crafted token made with love by Jenny Luna and all courtesy of the FCC-Gouda administration.
The FCC-Gouda Sunday services continue every 4th Sunday of the month with strict compliance with the COVID-19 regulations. The number of people allowed to attend masses in person is restricted to 30 people, but those who stay at home can follow the mass on live streaming. You can find the recording of this month’s celebration HERE.
The Filipino Catholic Community of Gouda and its Surroundings (FCC-Gouda) turned over a new leaf in February, 2021, by having their monthly 4th Sunday mass in the H.- Josephkerk in Gouda. The transfer from the OLV Hemelvaartkerk to the much bigger H.-Josephkerk is marked by the enthusiasm of volunteers to make the Mass Service more meaningful for the whole community.
Elpidia Gutierrez, Irene Hameete, Marlyn Rontal, Rena van Kleunen and Jenny Luna volunteered to train as flexible sexton ( koster) and acolyte. Their training was guided by no less than Fr. Dick van Klaveren, (Sint Jan de Doper Parish Priest) and Ms. José Ligthart. The volunteers spent two Saturdays to get acquainted with the Do’s and Don’ts of the church protocols. They also learned how to properly serve and assist the priest during the mass. The orientation, lessons and actual practices and procedures of being Kosters and Acolytes were eagerly met by both parties. Meanwhile, Mr. Hans Oosterwijk spent time learning the mechanics of doing Live Broadcast under the tutelage of Mr. Cees Ligthart.
FCC Gouda volunteers with Ms. José Ligthart
FCC Gouda volunteers with Fr. Dick van Klaveren
On February 28, 2021, the new Kosters/Acolytes were presented and inducted during the 4th Sunday mass by the FCC Gouda Chaplain, Marcel Uzoigwe, CSSp. They took an oath to acknowledge themselves as members of the Catholic Church, living according to the Catholic profession of faith, to devote themselves with love and peace to the service of God in the community, to render service for worthy celebration of the Holy Eucharist, and to do all the responsibilities and tasks where they are chosen for to do.
Oath Taking of new acolytes by Fr, Marcel Uzoigwe, CSSp with Ms. José Ligthart. L-R: José Ligthart, Rena van Kleunen, Jenny Luna, Elpidia Gutierrez, Irene Hameete. Marlyn Rontal is also one of the newly trained acolytes but not on the photo.
Fr. Marcel Uzoigwe thanked all volunteers, blessed and praised them for answering and accepting the call of God to serve the community. He challenged them to offer their best to the Lord, to the Filipino Community and all the church communities which may require their services. Finally, he asked them to live a life in Christ and make Him known to all through witness, service and work.
Two women stood before the 12th century Gothic cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. One asked, “Why can’t we build structures like this anymore?” Her friend answered, “The people who built this had faith. Today we have opinions. And you can’t build a cathedral with opinions.” Great faith does mighty works. Whoever has faith in God must be willing to listen to God and serve him in obedience otherwise the faith is just sterile and empty. Your belief determines your action and your action determines your result, but first you have to listen to know what God is saying to you.
In our first reading this Sunday Gen.22:-18, God puts Abraham to the test and demands that he sacrifices his only son, Isaac. Abraham being a man of great faith, did not hesitate to obey, not minding that he and his wife, Sarah were already advanced in years to beget another child through whom God would fulfill his earlier promise that Abraham would be the father of many nations.
In this narrative, Abraham is presented as a sublime model of self-sacrificing and obedient faith. Just when Abraham thinks that God’s promises of making him the father of many nations, had been realized in the person of Isaac, the son of his old age, God makes what looks like the most incomprehensible demand on him. However, when Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, God intervened, sending an angel to stop Abraham. The Angel commends Abraham for his obedient faith and then asked him to use the ram hooked by its horns in the bush for the sacrifice in place of his son, Isaac. In rewards for his obedient faith, God appeared again to Abraham and said, “because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore.” By willing to offer his only Son, Isaac, Abraham wins God’s approval and even greater blessings. He emerged with a stronger faith in God.
The Gospel reading presents the transfiguration of Jesus in the presence of three of his disciples. The scene described a very remarkable event of Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah, the two great men symbolizing the Law and the Prophets. Caught up in this marvelous scene, Peter asked to build three tents for Jesus and the two men. The glory was so powerful that Peter wouldn’t want to return. But then came the voice of the Father who, confirming Jesus as His beloved Son, commanded the disciples to listen to Him. Like Abraham who did not hold back his son Isaac, God is not holding back Jesus, but offering Him up for the salvation of all people. What is required on our part is obedient fellowship in doing all that Jesus would ask of us. Thus, the command, “listen to Him”.
The event of the first reading forshadows the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He is the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets who leads us into the new era of God’s salvific plan. What God demands of us is to render him obedient fellowship. Like the disciples of Jesus, we have to learn to listen to Him, to believe in His Word, and to live it out. Abraham did not just have Faith in God, he matched it with obedience. The world does not like the word “obedience”, because it sounds like someone telling you what to do. But how can we grow in Godliness without God telling us how to go about it? Why do we send our children to school if not to learn. Without listening to parents and teachers, children would hardly learn the right things. If God is our Father, then we have to listen to Him and obey His commands, even when it seems difficult.
St. Paul assures us in the second reading that God has our back. We don’t have to be afraid to commit ourselves in carrying out everything he might requires of us. He said, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” God’s assurance is evidenced in the gift of His own Son, Jesus. What else can be more than that? What other assurance do we need to beleive that God is to be trusted, that His commands are perfect and represent our best interest? The foundation for the obedient faith required of us is rooted in God’s faithful and unconditional love shown in the gift of His Son Jesus Christ. That shows the commitment of God to our welfare.
This lenten season is a period to reflect on the events of our salvation. The passion and death of Jesus end with the resurrection, which is a sign of hope. That hope is contained in the glory that was revealed to the disciples during the Transfiguration. Jesus instructed the disciples to keep the event of the Transfiguration secret until he is raised from the dead. We have the benefit of hindsight, helping us to know that pains of death and sacrifice in which we participate in this Lenten period definitely ends in something glorious. That knowledge should inspire us not to withhold anything capable of bringing us closer to God.
Let the sacrifice of Abraham and the passion of Jesus encourage us to render sacrificing services for the good of our brothers and sisters in need, remembering the words of Jesus that, “ whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”.
