+ RWS
699 April 17, 2016
Fourth
Sunday of Easter
Gospel: John 20: 27-30
Jesus said: “My sheep
hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal
life….
Eternal life
By Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD
Eternal
life is what Jesus promises and will give to anyone who accepts Him and become
His “sheep”. Other great men and leaders promise their would-be followers a
happy and prosperous life, here and now. Other religious leaders point to
another kind of life after death. It is clear then that the human being, deep
within his heart longs for a life that would last forever; one that can satisfy
fully his whole being. Whether one is conscious of this or not, he works and
spends his energy and strength to possess a life beyond. It is therefore
vitally important for us to know and accept the One who can truly give us
eternal life and give our life and work to Him.

While
receiving a salary, or any material compensation for doing our work, Jesus’
followers can ‘increase’ the value and can find a greater or higher meaning of their
daily work. Or, we can say that Jesus gives a much greater work compensation to
those who unite with Him; He rewards our work and the costs we have to pay for
it, like the stresses we endure, the physical or mental fatigue we suffer and
other work-related loads we bear. The risen Lord, who overcame
every human pain and suffering, even death, is the only One with the power to
fulfill His promise of eternal life to His faithful followers who live and work
with Him and in Him.
Which sheep are you?
By Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS
In
the profession I’m in—media—being considered a “sheep” is not an asset. Sheep have no mind of their own. They follow the flock. They are weak, they can never
lead. They are bred to be led to
the slaughterhouse for their meat and their skin. From that imagery alone you can picture the kind of
journalists this animal would make.
Mediocre ones—they would not get scoops, they would always be last in
the race, they would be bullied by the wolves, they would be mocked and never
earn the respect of their colleagues (who are lions and tigers and wolves). That’s how the world regards sheep. But the sheep that Jesus speaks of are
different; they are His followers who hear His voice and are led to an endless
life of joy with God.
Is
it possible to be this latter kind of sheep and make your mark in media? Decades of being in this work has
taught me that in the pursuit of truth, it is of utmost importance to
understand that there are gray areas to be dealt with wisely (as serpents) and
innocently (as doves). I have
worked with lions, tigers and wolves that have won awards for being their
predatory and competitive selves, but I have also worked alongside a rare breed
of the Shepherd’s followers who are veritable sheep in wolves’ clothing. They make the effort to discreetly hide
their faces, assuming the appearance of fierce animals in order to “disappear
in the background” while they work to make the Truth shine. They are the Good Shepherd’s sheep,
and because the voice they heed is far beyond the editor’s and the publisher’s,
they sometimes appear lost in the marketplace. It is not awards nor recognition they seek—not even a pat on
the head from the Good Shepherd Himself, because for them, doing the will of
God is its own reward.