The World's Powerful Words

First Reading: Acts 4:8-12

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said:

“Leaders of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29

Second Reading: 1 John 3:1-2

Beloved:

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Gospel: John 10:11-18

Jesus said:

“I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.

I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.This command I have received from my Father.”

Reflection
By Bernard M. Borja

There are so many powerful two to three word sentences that when used, can either move the world around, or stun it for a while. I have selected some of those to make us aware of it's sweet (or alarming) effect to ourselves.

1. Thank you

It is one of the most beautiful and sweet sounding sentences one can say, hear, or read. It is an expression of gratitude that puts a smile on one's face especially when said sincerely.

2. I love you

Probably the most sweetest, meaningful, and joy-filled sentence in the world especially when said with all your heart. The sentence has made the world stopped and then move around again like a roller coaster ride. It is more than giving the emotion to another but also to mean every little thing to the person. Life itself is a greatest manifestation of this powerful sentence.

3. I'm sorry

This is another way of saying "I love you" or "Forgive me" to ease the hurt one probably experienced because of love itself. It is also a modified phrase for "You win" or "I don't want to argue any more" or one of the most common behind these words, "Let's shut up and end this fight now." Maybe a conversation ender but one of the most beautiful things to say because after that, one can say "I love you" and believe in it once again.

4. OK

Two letters, one word. Whenever you exchange messages through text or chat, this is one of the most common conversation enders where one may feel that he/she has the responsibility to get the conversation on track again. It's like passing the ball to the person and wait for him/her to be frustrated in thinking about what to reply just so it would not be awkward to stop chatting and just end it. Or he/she can resort to the most famous ones, "hahaha", "hehehe", or just LOL (sometimes with a Z), with the emoticons or smileys.

This can also be a dead end when in the middle of the argument of a couple, the woman (probably the most common user of this and I don't mean to be judgmental) says this and keeps quiet. No choice for a man but to say the number 3 powerful sentence.

5. Try again

In life, there are no dead ends. In an argument, if a couple reaches a dead end, either party can try again and start another argument, which may also probably lead to another dead end, and then try again. But most of the time this is a great reminder to us to never give up in life. Especially when you're hit with "OK" after you explain a lot about your side of argument.

6. Let go

Sometimes you need to let go of good things for you to be open to receive the better ones. There are times in life when after getting up and trying again for so many times, we may realize it's time to let go. But this does not always mean permanent. Yes there are situations that this must lead to "Goodbye" but if there are still good things worth fighting for, this sentence may not be an option. Letting go would sometimes mean "I accept" and try to fix everything again.

7. I can/I can't

Very powerful words. If a person says "I can", he/she is right. And when a person says "I can't", he/she is also right. One example is, "I can let go because I've had enough" or "I can't let go because I still want to try again".

8. Move on

The next best thing after everything bad that has happened. Whether it would result to trying again and believing in love once more, or receiving a "Hu u?" (another powerful phrase) message after letting go, moving on is one of the most beautiful gifts we can give to ourselves.

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Of all those very short powerful sentences or phrases, I would like to emphasize on this:

"I am..."

Jesus relentlessly said, "I am the good shepherd." to reveal a glimpse of His mission here on earth which was commanded by Our Father. This phrase was also used by Our Father when He revealed Himself to Moses. I realized that these words are so powerful that it expresses conviction on who a person is and how he/she know himself/herself well. Jesus knows His mission very well and He is very much willing to lay down His life for the sheep.

This made me ask myself, "Do I really know what my mission is? Am I really willing to lay down my life for what God has commanded me to do?"

We often say powerful words and phrases in our life but when it comes to knowing our mission, we stutter. Maybe one of the reasons is we doubt our abilities. Maybe we connect our capacities to our past failures. But for us to know well ourselves and our mission, we need to let go of these past failures and move on. We must always say "I can" because through Christ, we are strengthened. Trying again is one of the best things that we can do for us to know better of ourselves. We should not settle for OK because like Jesus, we are sent here to lead a part of the flock. Whenever we fall, we can always get up and say to God that we are sorry. Because one of the reasons why we fall is we do not follow the lead of the Good Shepherd.

God sent us here on earth for a mission to help in gathering the flock for the Shepherd. It is His love that we received this command and it is the same love that guides us to fulfill it.

Prayer 

Father, Thank you for Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd, because He has laid down His life for us. Thank you for giving us a part to fulfill on this mission of the Good Shepherd. Through His lead and guidance, we will be able to know specifically our part in this mission and also ourselves to fulfill it according to the purpose You have given us. We are offering ourselves to You so that we may also lay down our life to gather the flock of the Good Shepherd. This we pray in Jesus' name, Amen.