by Jub Alabastro CFD Davao
Today’s gospel as well as the other readings talk about Christ the Shepherd and His flock the Church.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. (John 10:3-4 NAB)
The true members of Christ’s fold truly listens to the Shepherd’s voice. In contrast, those who are not members of His fold do not listen and do not believe Him.
Joh 10:26-27 NAB But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. (27) My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
St. Augustine reflecting in today’s reading said,
Many go under the name of good men according to the standard of the world, and observe in some sort the commandments of the Law, who yet are not Christians. And these generally boast of themselves, as the Pharisees did; Are we blind also? But inasmuch as all that they do they do foolishly, without knowing to what end it tends, our Lord said of them, Verily, verily, I say to you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber (John 10:1)
Let the Pagans then, the Jews, the Heretics, say, "We lead a good life;" if they enter not by the door, what avails it? A good life only profits, as leading to life eternal. Indeed those cannot be said to lead a good life, who are either blindly ignorant of, or willfully despise, the end of good living. No one can hope for eternal life, who knows not Christ, who is the life, and by that door enters into the fold.”
COMMENT: Aren’t PRO R.H. bill experts offering us the same thing as the men mentioned by St. Augustine in this exhortation? Aren’t they telling us Filipinos that “hey, when this bill is approved, you will have a good life?” You’ll have good health. You’ll have financial prosperity and security. You’ll have independence from the bondage of Damasos! This is the health and wealth gospel we promise you! By then, you’ll be categorized as "SMART," you shall be as gods, knowing what is good and evil for yourself (Gen 3:5 DRB.)
And women? Oh forget the Maria Clara! (FUNNY SHE WASN’T MENTIONED DURING ALL THESE DAMASOS ESCAPADES.) Be liberated! As Satan told Eve that she wouldn’t be a woman unless she finally disobeys God, unless she follows her own will, and unless she EATS OF THE FRUIT OF THE TREE, so do these radical feministicides tell the Filipino women to do the same: disobey the Church, do your own thing, and EAT OF THE FRUIT THAT WILL MAKE YOU FRUITLESS! Of course, as Satan was also silent as to the deadly effects of the fruit, so do these feministicides to the adverse effects of artificial contraceptives.
To paraphrase the question of St. Augustine, "does this good life, offered by the supporters of artificial contraceptives, lead us to eternal life?" How can it possibly do that when its supporters do not even LOOK, MUCH MORE, CARE FOR OUR SOULS??? They are so blinded like the Pharisees in the previous chapter of today’s reading (John 9:39-41) that they can’t even see their own blindness! Their blind faith passes through your soul! Now they want to lead us? For what purpose? So that the blind may lead the blind and fall into the pit (Luke 6:39)? If this good life will not lead us to eternal life, then it is useless. IT WILL JUST “CONTRACEPT” OUR NEXT LIFE IN HEAVEN.
HOW CAN WE THEN ENTER INTO ETERNAL LIFE? Let us allow the great saint to continue…
Whoso wishes to enter into the sheepfold,
- let him enter by the door;
- let him preach Christ;
- let him seek Christ's glory, not his own.
Christ is a lowly door, and he who enters by this door must be lowly, if he would enter with his head whole. He that does not humble, but exalt himself, who wishes to climb up over the wall, is exalted that he may fall.
Such men generally try to persuade others that they may live well, and not be Christians. Thus they climb up by some other way, that they may rob and kill. They are thieves, because they call that their own, which is not; robbers, because that which they have stolen, they kill.
COMMENT: How many so-called catholics and some Saging & Juice theologians who vehemently disobeyed the Magisterium yet STILL proudly called themselves “CATHOLICS?” They make television appearances showing their pearly white teeth which are nothing but whitewashed tombs--beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth (Mat. 23:27.) They share their so-called "expertise" opening the floodgates of their mind and displaying their broadmindedness, the road to hell (Mat. 7:13)! They are telling Catholics, "hey, join us. Look we are catholics yet we are acting like Protestants. We imitate Luther's private judgment (under the guise of democracy.) Meaning? PICK AND CHOOSE. WE ARE OUR OWN POPE. As responsible and gender-sanitized "congressperson" or "congressperhaps" we are in fact exercising our duly protected constitutional right to AMEND the doctrines of Christ tailoring them to the itching ears of society (2Tim. 4:3-4.) We are the modern Pied Pipers. And what is good about it? You're paying us to kill you!"
If we are truly Catholics, if we are truly members of Christ’s fold , shouldn’t we humbly listen and submit to the Shepherd’s voice? Shouldn’t we also listen and submit to the Bishops who were also appointed shepherds by the Chief Shepherd who is Jesus Christ?
Act 20:28 DRB Take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Luk 10:16 NAB Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.
If one will not enter the door who is Christ (John 10:9,) then that will make one a robber or thief who comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy (John 10:10.) The thief is the Antichrist as St. John Chrysostom said; for the door protects the sheep, it shuts out the wolves, it bars the entrance to heretics. Destroying the door, not submitting to its Words, will therefore only exposed the sheep to danger. So, far from imprisoning people, far from violating woman's right, the Church serve as a haven for sheep against dangerous wolves. She is a womb, nurturing the sheep with the graces fed by her Husband, Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:25-27,) until the sheep is finally born into eternal life.
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![ST. JEROME EMILIANI [1486-1537]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6dKQTchkJaA/R0lo013dyBI/AAAAAAAAB_4/XzUAPDESwwQ/s1600/St.+Jerome+in+prayer,+small_1.jpg)
