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Gospel Reading for May 12, 2025 – John 10: 1-10
CONSCIENCE
Jesus said: “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 the shepherd 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, the Pharisees 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.”
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Most of our dogs at home feel so insecure when left alone. Perhaps, they are worried that their master might not come back. This is very obvious because when the master comes home they jump up and down, making non-barking sounds, perhaps in human terms, sighs of relief. The sense of insecurity is brought about by uncertainty. They are not sure of the love of their master. They are not sure about how much the master cares for them. They are afraid to be abandoned.
Jesus, our Good Shepherd assures us of his love. He promises to keep us safe from the evil one. He knows all of us by our names. We are his sheep. But, we need to learn to recognize his voice, and to follow him. Otherwise, the evil one might steal and slaughter us.
How do we learn to recognize his voice?
In spiritual life, the voice of God is our CONSCIENCE. That is, if our CONSCIENCE had been formed from the age of reason in accordance with the Word of God. This is why the role of parents is so very important in the formation of CONSCIENCE of their children. Otherwise, the child may develop a Doubtful CONSCIENCE where the child will be unable to decide whether an action is good or bad, always creating uncertainty and hesitation; or an Erroneous CONSCIENCE where the child will be making incorrect judgments, mistaking good for evil and vice versa; or a Scrupulous CONSCIENCE where the child will be overly cautious and judges that there is sin where there isn’t or that a minor sin is a major one. It will cause a lot of anxiety in the child’s life; or a Lax CONSCIENCE where the child ignores or minimizes the severity of sin.
One way to form a child’s CONSCIENCE is to correct the wrong doing and explain to them why it is wrong, and to always affirm and praise them when they are doing right. Another way is to have a dialogue with them and ask them how they would feel if what they did is okay if it was done to them. Children, being very honest, will realize that what they did was wrong. This comes from the very delicate moral fiber woven within our inner self, having being made in God’s image and likeness. But, the best way to form a child’s CONSCIENCE is for the parents themselves to set a good example. As they say, children always look up to their parents that’s why they tend to follow what their parents do. Children are the mirrors of their parents. It is equally important to explain the 10 Commandments to them, not by forcing it on them but by explaining why there is need to obey each commandment, and how obeying them will benefit them and make them free from the evil one, and bring them to everlasting life.
Let us ponder on this hymn, O PANGINOON, PASTOL KO (based on Psalm 23) –
Sa t’wing pagod ako sa
mga hirap na dinaranas ko,
Pinahihimlay mo ako
sa luntiang pastulan mo;
Inaakay mo ako sa
payapang batisan;
Pinagiginhawa kalooban,
dinadala sa tuwid na landas.
O Panginoon Pastol ko,
pasanin mo ako sa `yong balikat
`pagkat tiyak na ako’y ligtas
sa anumang kapahamakan.
O Panginoon Pastol ko,
pasanin mo ako sa `yong balikat;
Kabutihan at pag-ibig mo
susunod sa buong buhay ko!
Sa harap ng kaaway,
pinaghahain mo ako,
pinapahiran ng langis sa ulo,
umaapaw ang aking baso.
Lumalakad man ako
sa lambak ng karimlan,
walang takot `pagkat nar’yan ka,
tungkod, pamalo nagpapasigla.
O Panginoon Pastol ko,
pasanin mo ako sa `yong balikat
`pagkat tiyak na ako’y ligtas
sa anumang kapahamakan.
O Panginoon Pastol ko,
pasanin mo ako sa `yong balikat;
kabutihan at pag-ibig mo
susunod sa buong buhay ko!
Panalangin ko ay manirahan
sa `yong bahay magpakailan!
Amen.
