It’s a beautiful day in the large metropolis of Hazelwood, Missouri. I had a very spiritual and enjoyable weekend. Someone sent me this thought of our “priorities in life,” and I would like to share it with you as well. I pray everyone has a beautiful day.
Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn’t live without it?
What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go….hmm…where is my Bible?
Oh, and one more thing.
Unlike our cell phone, we don’t have to worry about our Bible being
disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.
Makes you stop and think ‘where are my priorities? And no dropped calls!
When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you!
Today in Catholic History:
† 121 – Birth of Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor (d. 180)
† 1467 – The miraculous image of Our Lady of Good Counsel appears in Genazzano, Italy.
† 1478 – The Pazzi attack Lorenzo de’ Medici and kill his brother Giuliano during High Mass in the Duomo of Florence.
† Liturgical Feasts: Our Lady of Good Counsel, Saint Alda (d. 1309), Richarius or Riquier (d. 643), Paschasius (d. 865), Saint Cletus (Pope Anacletus) and Marcellinus (Popes and martyrs), Lucidius (4th century), Trudpert (Irish monk martyred in Germany in 607).
Today’s reflection is about Jesus being the good shepherd
Quote or Joke of the Day:
Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right. — Henry Ford
Today’s Meditation:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” Although Jesus used this figure of speech, they did not realize what he was trying to tell them. So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came [before me] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. (NAB John 10:1-10)
This “good shepherd” dialogue continues the theme of attack on the Pharisees from the preceding verses. The hired hands are symbolic of the Pharisees who excommunicated the cured blind man. The Pharisees do not recognize Jesus for His role on earth, but the people of God (symbolized by the blind man) do recognize Jesus as the true Shepherd prophesized in the Old Testament.
The “figure of speech” that John used is a different word for illustrative speech than the “parable” of the synoptic gospel, but the idea is similar. This quasi-parable illustrates that Jesus keeps those “outside” His teachings and belief from understanding, while His disciples know what He is talking about.
The crowds present are compared to sheep without a shepherd who must watch out for the wolves of false prophets in their community. The righteous are the sheep that are saved from these false prophets by following Jesus as their shepherd.
In verses John 10:7-8, Jesus is the shepherd’s gate to come to His flock: the sheep. In the next verses, John 10:9-10, Jesus is the shepherd’s gate for His flock: the sheep, to come in and go out. Jesus is the gate: the “good shepherd.” This symbolic gate, along with the symbol of the shepherd, is of messianic origin; and routinely found throughout the Old Testament.
What does this gospel reading mean to me? The Lord, Jesus Christ, promises to go and gather His sheep, who are scattered throughout the lands, and bring them back to good pastures. Jesus is the only source for salvation. In referring to the Jewish teachers and to their traditions, He rejects them as thieves: they cannot bring salvation. Jesus is the “Good Shepherd” who came so that we sheep may have life for eternity, in paradise with Him. Jesus is the way, truth, and life!
“Jesus; swing that gate open wide. I do not want any misses as I aim for your safety and your good pastures. Please help me enter. Amen.”
Pax et Bonum
Dan Halley, SFO
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Catholic Saint of the Day: St. Cletus
St. Cletus Popes, Martyrs April 26 A.D. 91 St. Cletus was the third bishop of Rome, and succeeded St. Linus, which circumstance alone shows his eminent virtue among the first disciples of St. Peter in the West. He sat twelve years, from 76 to 89. The canon of the Roman mass, (which Bossuet and all others agree to be of primitive antiquity,) Bede, and other Martyrologists, style him a martyr. He was buried near St. Linus, on the Vatican, end his relics still remain in that church.
(From http://www.catholic.org/saints/ website)
Secular Franciscan Order (SFO) Rule #26:
As a concrete sign of communion and co- responsibility, the councils on various levels, in keeping with the constitutions, shall ask for suitable and well prepared religious for spiritual assistance. They should make this request to the superiors of the four religious Franciscan families, to whom the Secular Fraternity has been united for centuries. To promote fidelity to the charism as well as observance of the rule and to receive greater support in the life of the fraternity, the minister or president, with the consent of the council, should take care to ask for a regular pastoral visit by the competent religious superiors as well as for a fraternal visit from those of the higher fraternities, according to the norm of the constitutions.
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