GOOD SHEEP AND GOOD SHEPHERDS

4th Sunday of Easter
Jn 10:27-30

In the Philippines, we rarely see sheep in real life. Many of us are familiar with this very fragile animal through still photos and motion pictures only. But we do have sheep in the Philippines. When I was still studying at the Ateneo, I used to see a handful of sheep grazing in the vacant lot of the neighboring U. P. Diliman campus, along Carlos Garcia road. In Bukidnon, there are also sheep. I saw many of them pasturing in the alps-look-alike slopes of beautiful Malaybalay. Because I stayed in Bukidnon for nine months and did apostolate in several mountain parishes, I was able to observe sheep at close distance. Here are three main conclusions from my close observation of this very fragile breed.

First, sheep are nearsighted animals. They literally see only up to the tip of their noses. Thus, they easily get lost.

Second, sheep are very docile animals. They obey easily even when being led to slaughter. Thus, they can be easy prey to the wild beasts or to robbers.

Third, despite their nearsightedness and docility, sheep are wise animals. They do not follow strangers. Thus, they know their true shepherd.

Because they are nearsighted, docile, but wise animals, sheep need shepherds. They rely heavily on their shepherds. Without their shepherds they get lost, they are stolen, they go hungry and thirsty, or they simply end up in the bowels of some beasts waiting for the perfect timing to devour them.

But how do sheep know their shepherd? Every sheep knows the voice of its shepherd. It is amazing but very rarely can anyone deceive a sheep by mimicking its shepherd’s voice. A sheep never follows a stranger.

With the above conclusions from my personal observation on sheep, I understand better why Jesus used the image of a shepherd and sheep in teaching us about our relationship with Him. He is our Shepherd and we are His sheep.

Many times in life, we are nearsighted creatures, too. We cannot see fully what lies beyond today. We can only speculate; and even our scientific prediction about what may happen tomorrow remain tentative until things actually happen. Even our experiences today change and deviate from what we expected yesterday. We always need to be led. We are creatures and are therefore dependent on our Creator.

Because we need to be led, we must be docile. We can only be led as much as we follow the leading. Unless we obey, we cannot be led. The way may be pointed to us, the methods may be taught to us, the results may be explained to us, but we have to trust and actually go where we are being led, do what we are being told, and learn what is being explained to us. To be docile means to be obedient.

But how can we obey Jesus if we do not know His voice? His voice speaks of love – true love, everlasting love, sacrificial love, life-giving love. Any voice that speaks otherwise can never be Jesus’. Let us not be deceived by false shepherds because they are many and very cunning. There is only one Good Shepherd after whom every genuine shepherd should be configured.

Today, the Fourth Sunday of Easter is also called “Good Shepherd Sunday”. We offer special prayers and sacrifices to God for the shepherds of the Church. May our priests and bishops be shepherds according to the heart of Jesus, the Good Shepherd Himself.

The Gospel today, however, moves us to pray and offer sacrifices to God for the sheep as well. May everyone who belongs to the sheepfold of Jesus always listen to His voice and follow Him with total trust and confidence. May no one be lost.

As Jesus entrusts His sheepfold to human shepherds, may all who belong to it love and obey their pastors as they would Jesus. Remember: While every sheep needs a good shepherd so too does every shepherd need good sheep.

DOMINUS EST!

3rd Sunday of Easter
Jn 21:1-19

Suppose you know someone who has the power to give eternal life, the kind of life that knows no suffering, only everlasting joy, where everything is perfect, would you not follow him? Of course, you would, would you not? Who, in his right mind, would not follow him? But following is more than knowing or believing. Sometimes, it is precisely those who know or believe who do not follow. Or, at least, have a hard time in following.

Look at Simon Peter. Although Jesus chose him to be the leader of the Twelve Apostles, although Jesus built His Church on him, although he was the first pope, Simon Peter struggled through in following Jesus. He had many blunders along the way. Remember that Jesus called him “Satan” right after Jesus also gave him the name “Peter”, meaning “rock”, and said “on this rock, I will build my Church.” During the Last Supper, Simon Peter refused to have his feet washed by Jesus only to demand from Jesus later on that Jesus gives him a bath. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Simon Peter slept even as Jesus told him and the others to stay awake and pray. We are also very familiar with how he denied Jesus not once but thrice! This, he did even though he promised Jesus that he was ready to go to prison and die for Him. Perhaps, Simon Peter had more blunders than what we can read from the gospels, but they were not written at all because they were rather very embarrassing not only for Simon Peter himself but also for the Church whose first pope was he. But with the blunders we already mentioned, we have enough to imagine how difficult it was for Simon Peter to die to himself and follow Jesus all the way.

If we are honest enough, we can easily see our selves in Simon Peter. His struggles are also ours. Though different in forms, our blunders in following Jesus mirror his. We know Jesus and we believe in Him, do we not? But do we always follow Jesus all the way?

Since Jesus rose from the dead on that Easter dawn, many things already happened within just two weeks. Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter, and John saw the empty tomb. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, then to the apostles locked up inside the Upper Room. With the two disciples who were on their way to Emmaus, Jesus also revealed Himself already risen from the dead. After a week, Jesus showed Himself to the apostles again, this time Thomas – who was absent when Jesus appeared to the apostles for the first time – was with them. This means that the disciples already knew that indeed Jesus has risen. They were already sure that it was not His ghost they were seeing but Jesus Himself. He breathed the Holy Spirit on them, and then gave them the power to forgive sins. “As the Father has sent Me, so I send you. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained,” He told them. Because of these events following Easter, we expect that the apostles were already busy in doing what Jesus commissioned them to do. But what were they doing? They were fishing!

“I am going fishing,” Simon Peter said. “We will go with you,” said the others. Thus, Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, James, John, and two other apostles, went fishing. The succeeding events are very significant.
Simon Peter, James, and John – perhaps, also a number of the other disciples – were fishermen before Jesus called them to follow Him. Fishing was their trade. When Jesus called them, He called them from their father’s net to become fishers of men. Among them, it was Simon Peter whom Jesus appointed as leader of the apostles and of all the disciples of Jesus. Simon Peter knew this and all the followers of Jesus recognized Simon Peter as such. In short, we see Simon Peter going back to fishing and, with him, the rest of the disciples. As they say, “Ubi Petrus, ecclesia est” (“Where Peter is, the Church is”).

It is interesting though that while Simon Peter and the others went back to fishing, the fish seemed to be very unwelcoming of them. The fishers of men who tried become fishermen again caught nothing despite working all through the night. And when dawn came, Jesus came and caught them instead. I smile as I imagine that perhaps Jesus, upon seeing them, whispered something like this: “Look at these men! Hey, guys, what are you doing out here in the sea? Remember I said something like I am sending you as the Father has sent Me? Did I say anything about Me sending you to the fish? Have you forgotten about forgiving and binding? Hello?” But Jesus instead said to them, “My children, have you caught anything to eat?” Of course, they answered, “Nothing.” “Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something,” advised the Carpenter to the seasoned fishermen. When they did as they were told, the apostles had a tremendous catch – one hundred and fifty-three fish.

Does this not ring a bell? When Jesus called Simon Peter for the first time, Simon Peter was also fishing with James and John, and they caught nothing through out the night. If we put the Gospel today side-by-side with the story of the call of Simon Peter, it will be difficult for us not to notice several parallelisms. In the story of the call of Simon Peter, Jesus told them to go out into the depths again for a catch. Although hesitant at first, Simon Peter nonetheless went out into the depths again. And they caught so many fish that their boat, according to St. Luke, was on the brink of breaking. Seized by the miraculous catch of fish, Simon – who was not yet named Peter that time – fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.” But Jesus told him, “Follow Me.” From then on, Jesus made Simon and his companion fishermen fishers of men. In the light of the events in the Gospel for this Third Sunday of Easter, we cannot help wondering: Did Jesus intentionally repeated the apostles’ call? Jesus called again the apostles who were unfaithful to Him and re-affirmed His choice of Simon Peter as their leader, despite Simon Peter’s blunders. Thereupon, John, the Beloved Apostle, said, “Dominus est” (“It is the Lord”)!

When they reach shore, the apostles saw that fish was already on the grill and bread was ready to be broken. Bread and fish – the miracle of multiplying bread and fish that fed thousands of hungry crowd stare at the faces of the apostles once again. We cannot say that they did not notice that. They remembered that Jesus provides for their needs. Jesus supplies for whatever is lacking in them. Then Jesus pressed on further the point He was trying to make by telling the apostles, “Bring here some of the fish you just caught.” But what for? Was it not that when they reach shore, fish was already on the grill? Why did Jesus have to ask them to bring Him some of the fish they caught?

While Jesus indeed provides for their needs and supplies for whatever is lacking in them, Jesus was teaching the apostles that they still needed to bring Him whatever they had. They had to cooperate with Jesus and unite with Him. And this is also how it is with us, present-day disciples of Jesus. Jesus will never forsake us, but we must cooperate with His grace. As we struggle each day in following Jesus, we have to bring to Jesus whatever we have and whoever we are. “Grace builds on nature” is a saying worth believing.

When Jesus appeared to the apostles on the evening of Easter Sunday, the apostles fed Him. When He appeared to them in the Gospel today, Jesus fed the apostles. On His first appearance, Jesus ate in front of His apostles to prove that He was not a ghost or a product of their collective hallucination. On His appearance to them in the Gospel today, He feeds them as a sign of His abiding care for them. He loved them not only until Calvary, but even beyond. He loved them more than they knew and expected. He loves us in the same way today.

After breakfast, Jesus took aside Simon Peter and had a heart-to-heart talk with him. Jesus re-affirmed His choice of Simon Peter as the chief shepherd of the Good Shepherd’s flock. This, Jesus did despite the many blunders committed by Simon Peter. The blunders of Simon Peter – no matter how many and how grave – were not enough for Jesus to change His mind about choosing Simon Peter as the first pope.

Simon Peter was not always successful in his struggles along the path of discipleship, but he remained with Jesus nonetheless. He did not surrender to hopelessness over his blunders – great and small. He was not successful, but faithful. Bl. Teresa of Calcutta once said, “God does not expect us to be successful, but to be faithful”. In the person of Simon Peter, Jesus agreed with Bl. Teresa even before she said those inspiring words.

Simon Peter is like all of us. He committed blunders in life. We should imitate Simon Peter. Do not stay away from Jesus despite our blunders in following Him. All men and women fall, but not all rise again. Those who rise again are the ones who become saints, whether officially canonized or not. Our life of following Jesus is a life of rising again and again. It is also our mission to help those who, after falling, want to rise again. As we help one another rise again after every fall, we behold Jesus in each of us and we say, as the Beloved Disciple said, “Dominus est!”

WHAT IF THOMAS DID NOT DOUBT?

2nd Sunday of Easter
Jn 20:19-31

Almost everything we know about Jesus comes from the gospels. But the gospels do not tell us everything we want to know about Jesus. The Gospel of John tells us why: “There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written” (Jn 21:25). This testimony, however, does not stop us from asking questions at almost every page of the gospels. Nevertheless, as it is and will always be, many of our questions will never be answered. We need to wait to get to heaven and ask Jesus Himself to answer our questions first hand.

The gospels tell us not only about Jesus. We also come to know about the disciples of Jesus through them. Among His disciples are the group of men who are collectively called “The Twelve”. One of The Twelve is Thomas.

The gospels do not tell us much about Thomas. Unfortunately, among the few we know about Thomas from the gospels, it is his doubting that got stuck in our minds.

When Jesus appeared to the apostles on the first Easter evening, Thomas was not with them. Where Thomas was, the gospels are silent. We can only guess. Perhaps, Thomas was so broken-hearted over the fact that Jesus died and, in confusion, he got himself isolated from the rest of the apostles. But the other ten were just as broken-hearted as he was. Perhaps, Thomas felt guilty for having abandoned Jesus and, in remorse, he locked himself up inside some unknown place. But, save John the Beloved, all the rest were just as guilty as he was. Thomas, however, had a reason to be more ashamed of himself than the other ten. In Jn 11:16, Thomas persuaded them to die with Jesus, but he himself ran for his own safety when Jesus was dying alone. Well, of course, Simon Peter also said that he was ready to die with Jesus and yet betrayed Him thrice. But at least, Simon Peter did not try persuading his fellow apostles to die with Jesus but left Jesus anyway. Thomas had to face to show not only Jesus but his fellow apostles as well. Thus, while he shared many thrilling moments with the other apostles, Thomas missed the biggest thrill of all: the first appearance of Jesus to His apostles on the evening of His resurrection.

When finally, Thomas was with the other ten, he was even so bullheaded towards them when they informed him that Jesus had risen and He actually appeared to them. His words sound even imprudent, for who was he to dictate the terms of surrendering to the Lord when he said, “Unless I see the holes that the nails made in His hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into His side, I refuse to believe.” “Refuse” is a strong word, is it not? While we cannot be certain about the reason for Thomas’ refusal to believe, we may, however, explore some possibilities.

It cannot be said that Thomas thought that his fellow apostles were willfully circulating a lie. It is more possible to think that, with the loss of Jesus weighing so indescribably heavy upon them, Thomas thought that the other apostles had actually but unconsciously fooled themselves. Could it be that they were tricked by a phantom? They wanted so badly to see Jesus that they imagine they had in fact seen Him. We know this kind of experience. Sometimes, wishing hard enough can give birth to a phantom and make something that is not so seem to be so.

It is here that Thomas’ doubt proves to be very important for all ages. While we are comfortable with the belief in the resurrection of Jesus, undoubtedly, there are still skeptics in our midst. When a group of archeologists recently reported to the media that they found the remains of Jesus – together with the remains of Mary and Judas – skepticism about the Lord’s resurrection showed its ugly and stubborn face again. But the fact that among the eleven, one doubted, ironically, makes our point about the Lord’s resurrection even stronger.

Ever since Jesus resurrected, skeptics keep on suggesting that the apostles underwent a collective hallucination. They theorize that the Risen Jesus was actually a product of the apostles’ wishful thinking. Thus, they continue to find even the minutest possible proof that Jesus did not actually physically resurrect. Rather, He resurrected only spiritually in the hearts of His followers. There is big problem with such a nagging proposal and the Gospel today shouts it right to everyone’s face: the skeptics’ theory forgets Thomas. Suppose the other apostles were actually fooled by their wishful thinking that Jesus was alive, that they longed to see the Lord so much that they thought they heard His voice, saw His wounds, and ate a meal with Him. But what about Thomas?

The greater the shame, the greater the yearning to make up for the blunder committed. The greater the guilt, the greater the wish to reverse the wrong done. The greater the remorse of a person for abandoning his friend to die, the greater that person’s longing to see his friend alive again. Proudly persuading his fellow apostles to die with Jesus but cowardly deserting Jesus like the rest, no one could have wished Jesus alive more than Thomas could. But wishing did not make him think it so. He knew it could not be so. But it was so: Jesus truly had risen from the dead and is alive forever more. Ironically, Thomas’ doubt should negate all doubts about the Lord’s physical resurrection. Thomas is the final refutation of the logic that the Easter story was a collective hallucination of the apostles.

When Thomas, kneeling before the Risen Jesus, finally said, “My Lord and My God,” each one of us – including the skeptics – were actually kneeling before Jesus and professing faith in His resurrection. There was absolutely no way to disprove the Easter story, for it is so empirical true as Thomas’ doubt ironically proved.

If there are skeptics about the Lord’s resurrection, there are also skeptics about the Lord’s merciful love. As today is the Feast of the Divine Mercy, we are invited to believe in the Lord’s resurrection as the greatest proof of His mercy. And having believed in the Lord’s resurrection as the greatest proof of His mercy, we are being sent forth to be missionaries of the Lord’s merciful love. We cannot preach about the mercy of God unless we first believe in the resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. We cannot trust in God’s mercy if we doubt that He raised His only begotten Son from the dead to be the first-born among many brothers and sisters.

What if Thomas did not doubt the Lord’s resurrection? Then, the skeptics have all the right to strongly propose that the Easter story is nothing but a lie circulated by hallucinating apostles of Jesus. But Thomas doubted and so we believe even more. And Thomas likewise believed and so we never doubt.

BUT A PALM OF DIFFERENCE

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
Lk 22:14-23:56

Today we celebrate Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion and re-enact the triumphant entry of Jesus to Jerusalem, the city of the Great King, no less than the Messiah Himself. In our liturgy today, there are two Gospel Readings: one for the blessing of palms and the other for the Mass proper. Both Gospel readings focus on the one person of Jesus Christ. But there is something strange about the kind of Jesus we see today. The Jesus we see today seems to be different from the Jesus we used to know.

Let me explain.

Today, Palm Sunday, begins the week we call holy. At first hearing, “holy” seems to be an odd word to define this week when the most unholy events in history took place. Jesus, the Son of God, was arrested, accused and sentenced as guilty by a questionable trial, and crucified like a criminal. Should not this week be called “Unholy Week” instead of “Holy Week”? Should we not rather mourn than celebrate? But the procession of palms and festive hymns that color today’s liturgy are anything but sad. Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion is a feast to say the least.

Indeed that is how it should be today because that is what the first Palm Sunday was for Jesus Himself. Entering the city of Jerusalem, the heart of Jesus swelled with joy, acknowledging the people’s daring tribute given Him: “Hossana to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hossana!” The crowd gathered in Jerusalem for the Passover, hailed Him with songs, cheers, and palm branches, acclaiming Him the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One, liberator of Israel. Believe me, our Palm Sunday procession stands pale in comparison with the noisy welcome Jesus then received.

The Lord’s entry to Jerusalem was certainly not a staged event; however, it was one for which Jesus had carefully prepared. He was aware that an adoring crowd would line His path from Mount Olives to Jerusalem, and for this once Jesus was willing, even eager, to bask in their applause. He indeed entered Jerusalem like a king, but, as if wanting to remind His admirers that He was the Messiah, more than the king of Israel, He arrived in the city mounted on an ass in fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy: “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

This is exactly what I meant when I said earlier that the Jesus we see today seems to be different from the Jesus we used to know. Remember the Transfiguration event? After Jesus revealed His real and glorious identity to three of His closest friends, did He not bind them to secrecy? In the story of the multiplication of the five barley loaves and two small fish that fed about five thousand men and yielded leftovers that filled twelve baskets, did not Jesus withdraw to a mountain after the miracle because He sensed that the satisfied crowd wanted to make Him king? Prior to today, Jesus had shunned the title of Messiah, revealing His identity only to close disciples, and throughout His public ministry, He did nothing that might be regarded as a grab for power. He never itched for high office or public acclaim. He had neither fetish for dramatic entrances nor illusions for grandeur.

But today seems to be an exemption. He allowed the crowd to shout their praises of Him, hailing Him as the Son of David who comes in the name of the Lord and on a mission of peace. Some Pharisees saw the possibility of a riot caused by the uproar He was creating and ordered Him to silence the mob. Jesus refused. For if the crowd were to quiet down, the stones themselves would shout His praises, said He.

Evidently, there is a change from the Jesus who used to shy away from the people’s acclamation to the Jesus who now enjoys the people’s adulation. Of course, it is still the same Jesus. But why the change in His behavior? Listen carefully, for this is one of the most important lessons of the Holy Week.

Today, Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, Jesus wants the whole world to know that His enemies did not catch Him with His pants down. Instead, He walked into the hands of His enemies willingly, with eyes wide open. He knew what awaits Him the moment He sets foot on His enemies’ domain. A wise man can easily see that the crowd that strained their lungs with songs and shouts of joyful praises of Him was enough proof that Jesus could, if He wished, lead a revolt against His enemies. But He was in control of His destiny, and He chose not to do so.

The point is vital. Jesus faced Calvary in freedom. He willingly accepted the cross. We proclaim this truth in every Mass when the priest re-tells the story of the institution of the Holy Eucharist: “Before He was given up to death, a death He freely accepted….” Indeed, Jesus embraced the cross freely, for if it were not so, where would be the merit? What was the difference between Jesus and the two thieves who were crucified with Him on that first Good Friday? One may say that what distinguished Jesus from the two thieves crucified with Him was that they were guilty while Jesus was not. Okay, but more importantly, those two thieves could not escape, but would have if they could while Jesus could have escaped, but did not.
I recall that some years back, a controversial movie, entitled “The Last Temptation of Jesus”, was shown in theatres despite the strong objection of Church authorities. I saw the movie myself. The movie suggested that, while crucified at Calvary, Jesus wrestled with a final temptation to come down from the cross, forget about His redemptive mission, and settle into marriage with Mary Magdalene who would give Him children. Many people jumped into conclusion and said that the last temptation of Jesus was about sexual in nature. They were gravely mistaken. This is the last temptation of Jesus: to escape, for after all, He could. I believe that all through His earthly life, Jesus had to wrestle with the alluring idea to run away from His mission or, at least, to short-circuit it by taking the easier way through the use of His inherent power as Son of God. From day one in the desert up until to the final day on Calvary, this was Jesus’ perennial battle. Remember, after tempting Jesus but never succeeding, the devil left Jesus, Scripture says, only to come back on the appointed time. Holy Week is the appointed time.

When the soldiers came to arrest Him in the garden, Jesus went forth to meet them. When Peter tried to fight back, cutting the ear of the high priest’s servant, Jesus commanded him to put his sword back to its scabbard. When interrogated by the Sanhedrin and by Pilate, Jesus answered boldly, affirming His origin, His kingship, and His mission. On Calvary, He forgave His enemies and prayed for them rather than cursed them. Even as He Himself was suffering, He promised the good thief that he would be with Him in paradise that very day. Dying though He was, He provided for His mother’s care. Notice: At every moment of His Passion, Jesus, not His enemies, was really the one who was in command.

Jesus had time to turn back, but He went head on. He even had the chance to lead a popular revolt, but He Himself carried the cross instead. With full deliberation, Jesus chose to redeem us by the greatest and holiest act of persevering love, even stubborn love. He placed His life on the line for love of you and me. And that is the reason why we call this week “holy”. For holiness is the perfection of love.

The powerful love of Jesus made this week holy. Let us make one another’s life holy by the power of our love. While our blessed palms signify our allegiance to Jesus, the Messiah and King, they are nothing but beautifully arranged branches of palms unless we love like Jesus. It is not the agua bendita that makes us holy. We are made holy by our love. Be careful, we may be really missing this point, for there is only but a palm of difference between the two.