Saturday, March 1, 2014

Catechism L5-15 The Good Shepherd



 Prayer Before Studying
Incomprehensible Creator, the true Fountain of light and only Author of all knowledge: vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, to enlighten our understandings, and to remove from us all darkness of sin and ignorance. Thou, who makest eloquent the tongues of those that want utterance, direct our tongues, and pour on our lips the grace of Thy blessing. Give us a diligent and obedient spirit, quickness of apprehension, capacity of retaining, and the powerful assistance of Thy holy grace; that what we hear or learn we may apply to Thy honor and the eternal salvation of our own souls.

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Holy Spirit, giver of all good gifts, enter into my mind and heart. Give me the gift of knowledge, wisdom, understanding and the grace to use it wisely. Help me in all my endeavors. Give me perseverance and fortitude. Help my memory, that I may remember what I learn and recall it when necessary. Guide me in my studies. You who are the Way, the Truth, and the Life, let me not be deceived by false teaching. Our Lady of Good Studies, pray for me. Amen.


Prayer to follow the Good Shepherd
My God and Father, give me new strength from the courage of Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. He is our Good Shepherd. Let me hear the sound of His voice, lead my steps in the path He has shown, that I may receive His help and enjoy the light of Your presence forever. Strengthened by the Eucharist, may I feel its saving power in my daily life till I reach eternal life with You. Lead me to join the Saints in heaven. Amen.

Invocation of the Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Leader:  Send  forth Your  Spirit  and  they  shall  be created. Rest: And You shall renew the face of the earth. Let us Pray: O God, Who did teach the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us by the same Spirit to be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolations, through Christ Our Lord. Amen.


Topic/Agenda:
1.      To explain what it means for Jesus to be called our Good Shepherd.
2.      To tell the story of Palm Sunday.
3.      List of qualities which Jesus has and that we should imitate.
4.      The story of St. Francis de Sales


Questions
  • Imagine the royalty and splendourous of a King or Queen or an Amiri of a country just like King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden or Queen Elizabeth of UK or the current Amiri of Kuwait or President of the Philippines?
  • Now would you like to be a King, Queen, or President of a country?
  • Could you describe the royalty of a King or Queen or an Amiri?
  • When you are visiting a country, how would you like to be receive?  Simple or extravagant?

The Palm Sunday


Jesus Entering Jerusalem
The time came when Jesus knew He would soon die for us. He rode on a donkey into the city of Jerusalem. Nobody else knew Jesus was going to die. Many people came to honor Jesus as king. They threw palm branches and coats onto the road where He was coming. They shouted for joy.    



Jesus said (John 10:11-16):
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Good Shepherd vs. Jesus
Good Shepherd
Jesus Christ
Feed his sheep
Gives us food for our souls (in the sacraments) -- makes us strong so we will be good.
Protects his sheep from the wolves & other dangers.
Guards us against evil and sin.
Leads his sheep to green pastures where they will be happy.
Leads all of us on the way to Heaven -- the only way where we will truly be happy.
Lays down his life for his sheep.
Lays down His life for His sheep -- He died so that we could live forever.



Featured Saint: St. Francis de Sales



St. Francis de Sales
•        Born in France in 1567, Francis was a patient man. He knew for thirteen years that he had a vocation to the priesthood before he mentioned it to his family but became a soldier, doctorate in law while secretly studying theology and  practiced mental prayer.
•        After much his patient persuasiveness did his father finally consent for him to become a priest. When he became priest, people see him not a good pastor.
•        Francis decided that he should lead an expedition to convert the 60,000 Calvinists back to Catholicism. But by the time he left his expedition consisted of himself and his cousin.
•        For three years, he trudged through the countryside, had doors slammed in his face and rocks thrown at him. In the bitter winters, his feet froze so badly they bled as he tramped through the snow. He slept in haylofts if he could, but once he slept in a tree to avoid wolves. He tied himself to a branch to keep from falling out and was so frozen the next morning he had to be cut down. And after three years, his cousin had left him alone and he had not made one convert.
•        Francis' unusual patience kept him working. No one would listen to him, no one would even open their door. So Francis found a way to get under the door. He wrote out his sermons, copied them by hand, and slipped them under the doors. This is the first record we have of religious tracts being used to communicate with people.
•        The parents wouldn't come to him out of fear. So Francis went to the children. When the parents saw how kind he was as he played with the children, they began to talk to him.
•        By the time, Francis left to go home he is said to have converted 40,000 people back to Catholicism.
•        In 1602 he was made bishop of the diocese of Geneva, in Calvinist territory. He only set foot in the city of Geneva twice -- once when the Pope sent him to try to convert Calvin's successor, Beza, and another when he traveled through it.
•        It was in 1604 that Francis took one of the most important steps in his life, the step toward holiness and mystical union with God when he befriend Jane de Chantal  and the two of them became saints of God.

Human Experience:
How can I become like Jesus?
  • Obedient -- Always do what pleases God. Obey cheerfully.
  • Humble -- Tell the truth. Never lie.
  • Forgiving -- Love your enemies.  Forgive those who hurt you.
  • Prayerful -- Say your daily prayers. Always be mindful of God's  presence.
  • Merciful -- Be kind to everyone. Be helpful and generous.
  • Humble -- you are humble, you are free from pride and arrogance. You know that in your flesh you are inadequate, yet you also know who you are in Christ.
    –Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)
    –I am gentle and humble in heart. (Matthew 11:29)
    ==> Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus
More Characteristics of Humility
  • You talk courteously and lovingly, regardless of the situation  even if you need to be firm or take strong action.
  • Being humble does not mean being a wimp  a weak, ineffectual, timid person.
  • Humility does not mean groveling  act in an abject manner, as in great fear or utter servility. To lie or crawl with the face downward and the body prostrate.
  • Humility does not mean being unaware of your gifts or calling  Although we should avoid self-pride, godly humility does not mean we should pretend we are unaware of the gifts God has given us. The key is to remember that they are from God.
  • Humility does not mean we should never speak directly  When God says to be humble, he lets us know we must examine our motives and attitudes. We also must examine how we respond to others. As an employer, I can discipline or fire someone, yet do so quietly and gently.

Benefits of being Humble:
  • You can defuse arguments when you are humble ==> You don't need to stand up for yourself in an angry manner.  And you don't have to win every argument. A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1) 
  • You can handle unfair treatment peacefully ==> You can respond to unfair treatment without becoming bitter. Godly humility means you do not feel a need for vengeance or revenge. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:31-32)
  • You can eat "humble pie" without being crushed ==> When you are humble, you can respond to and learn from criticism without becoming defensive—whether it is deserved or not deserved. Likewise, you can be aware of your failures without being emotionally devastated.
  • You can ask for forgiveness when you are humble ==> Even if you think you are only one percent wrong, you can easily apologize for what you did wrong.


How to become a Saint according to St. Francis de Sales?
•        It is not those who commit the least faults who are the most holy, but those who have the greatest courage, the greatest generosity, the greatest love, who make the boldest efforts to overcome themselves, and are not immediately apprehensive about tripping.
•        Certain all virtues are very dear to God, but humility pleases Him above all the others, and it seems that He can refuse it nothing.
•        Every one of us needs half an hour of prayer each day, except when we are busy -- then we need an hour.
•        Let us run to Mary, and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect confidence.
•        Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems...
•        All of us can attain to Christian virtue and holiness, no matter in what condition of life we live and no matter what our life work may be.
•        Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them... everyday being the task anew.



Life Application:
Jesus is the way (John 14:3-7):
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.”[a] 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know[b] my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”




Prayer for the Help of the Holy Spirit
O God, I thank you for this day and the lessons that we have learned today.  May You send forth your Holy Spirit and stay forever into my heart that I may perceive and understand You more, into my mind that I may remember, and into my soul that I may meditate.  Inspire me to speak and behave with patience, piety, holiness, tenderness and mercy. Teach, guide and direct my thoughts and senses from beginning to end. By Your grace, we may live and preach on the Words that You spoke to us today. May your grace ever help and correct me, and may I be strengthened now with love and wisdom from on high, for the sake of your infinite mercy. Amen.



Faith Experience:
References:
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