DAILY HOMILIES #tough times

What Qualities Make Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd? In today’s Gospel passage from John 10:11-18, Jesus provides four answers to this question: 1. Sacrifice - “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (verse 11). 2. Knowledge - “I know my own, and my own know me.” (verse 14). 3. Unity – “I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, so there shall be one flock, one shepherd” (verse 16). 4. Power – “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” (verse 18)

Faith is not for the good times only. Faith is that which sustains us in bad times. According to St. Augustine: “Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” It is not easy to live a righteous life when things are not going smoothly in your life but do not forget that faith is patience. Trust that God will never leave you forsaken. Never give up on God.

As far as serving God in this world is concerned, we are always going to face trials; there would be moments we would become so discouraged with regards to doing good

It is through these pruning experiences that we get to be better Christians. Do you hope to bear fruits? Then expect constant pruning. Do not have the attitude of one who feels that God is owing him or her. Don’t expect trophies for being a good Christian, you would never know when pride would take you over.

Jesus had the power to call down fire to burn down those who were exchanging words with Him but he simply “escaped from their hands and went away across the Jordan.” Jesus did not use the power he had to fight back his enemies. Secondly, Jesus reminded them of the good he had done for them in the past.