I can always recall my high school days when our teacher leaves the room after class and we all wait for the next teacher to come to us for the next subject. Regardless of the waiting time, be it 5 minutes, or 15 minutes, the class would get so noisy. Everyone’s standing and someone would bring out his phone. Guys at the back would play guitar and some would play games. Class officers will ask the class to be quiet but no one listens and then there would be chaos. And then our teacher would stand right in front of us and would stare us down, then we’ll be like angels behaving as nothing happened. This scene comes up every time our teacher leaves us. I guess we’re not that behaved kids after all. But I guess it is more so because no one is there to guide us and to take care of us.
This thing happened also in Mark 6:34: “When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.” Well, I hope they’re not noisy and chaotic. But Jesus was moved because nobody was taking care of the flock, of the crowd. No one was looking after them. No one was teaching them and guiding them. That’s why Jesus began to teach them many things.
Right now, our church teaches us a lot of things also. We have the bible as a starter, but we also have sacred traditions and the magisterium. Don’t forget the catechism that helps us be guided in deeper teachings of the church. We also have our community, MFC, MFC Youth, which gives us rich formations and teachings. My friends, we have a lot to learn, from one another, from the church, from the community and from God. We too are called to teach our fellow Christians.
But sometimes we fail to teach when we fail to live out what we are teaching. We always say “walk your talk” but most of the time we neglect to live that out. We also fail to teach and guide our flock when we teach wrong things and wrong values that lead us to stray away from the truth. When we remain silent and fail to stand up for truth. There are a lot of articles, issues, stories that mislead people and lead them away from God and the truth. We have to stand up for not just what is right but more for what is true. Without the shepherd, we sheep will be misinformed and misled, let us stand up and lead the flock to the truth.
As I reflect on this, I checked out our formations and manuals in MFC Youth and LCSC. We have a lot. We have a library of teachings and materials. Friends, we have everything we need to teach and guide the flock, the crowd, our loved ones, let us use it. We have the internet and different sites that can help us be equipped. We have the bible that is readily available for us 24/7.
Lastly, let us accompany one another. Let us be shepherds to one another and do not lead anyone astray. God is with us, He is the Good Shepherd and He always looks after His flock.
You may visit Tito Frank Padilla’s Built on Rock Reflections through this link.
Kuya DR Arellano is a Full-Time Pastoral Worker of Missionary Families of Christ. He is currently serving in MFC Youth as the National Coordinator.
