Ship, shape, or sheep?

THE STORY is told about an inquisitive girl who one day asked her mother where money comes from. "It comes from the mint," her mother replied. After some moments of pondering, she said, "You mean from the governmint?"

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In today's Gospel (Mt. 9, 36-10, 8), Jesus' heart was moved with pity at the sight of the crowds because they were "troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd." When Jesus looks at the Philippines these days, His heart must be full of pity once again, because the people are troubled by recent events, and feel abandoned by their so-called shepherds who mind everything else, except their sheep.

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When leaders are so busy minding and holding on to their political ship, and are so focused on the financial shape of their pockets, then they forget the sheep. We do not have a poverty of leaders in the Philippines. Yes, we have a surplus of leaders who work for themselves, but we do have a shortage of leaders who really work for the sheep. True laborers are few. The masters are aplenty in this country -- masters of deceit, masters of fraud, masters of corruption, masters of "magic." You name it, we've got it. In the meantime, again we ask: who is minding the sheep?

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What we need is a real cleansing. Just how do we do that? Where do we begin? How do we boil the hell out of this country? Boil our leaders and drive the demons out of them. Let the fire of truth eliminate the unworthy and bring out the best among us and in us. May we end up with leaders who "receive without cost, and who give without cost." Wanted: Leaders who sacrifice.

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Are we really listening? Here we are discussing, debating, quarrelling about government, while the people go hungry and go deeper into poverty. All the talk about jueteng and the "fake" or the "original" CD boils down to only one issue-truth. The sheep don't want more lies. They want the truth. They need truthful shepherds, they need food, and they need them now. They need shepherds who will lead them to greener pastures. "Ask the master of the harvest to send the laborers for his harvest." Pray. Let us pray for good, truthful and able leaders in our land.

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What's up ahead? We really don't know, but we should not be afraid. In today's Gospel, Jesus instructs us just to go and proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Proclaim what is true, and let heaven take care of you. Proclaim your lies, and soon you'll be swarmed by flies. Those who proclaim truth get hurt, but they are free. Those who proclaim lies often get away with them and get by, but they become prisoners in their own minds and haunted people. To the truthful, just entrust the unknown future to a known God. To the liars, don't forget: you have children, and you have a soul.

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The apostles had appendages written to their names: Simon, called Peter; James, the son of Zebedee; Judas Iscariot, the traitor, etc. etc. What appendage will be written after your name? ________ who loved much? Who worked much? Who lied much? Who worried much? Who fought much? Who was too much? It's really all up to you. God provides the paper. You hold the pencil. It is you who write your life, all original. No fake or spliced copies. It is God who does the counting. He knows the score, and that cannot be tampered with.

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Speaking of pencils, let me share with you a text message about the lessons we learn from the pencil. First, everything you do will leave a mark. Second, you can always correct and erase your mistakes. Third, what is important is what is inside you. Fourth, painful sharpening will make you a better pencil. Fifth, to be the best pencil you can be, allow yourself to be guided by the hand that holds you. As we write our life story, especially these days, may we allow God to be a part of it. No, I take that back. May we allow God to be the center of it.

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We received the sad news that one of our Filipino SVD missionaries, Fr. Romy Grapilon, died in a car accident last June 7 in Paraguay. He was 59 years old, 32 years of which were spent in Paraguay looking after the Lord's sheep. He lived most of his life in anonymity, but he lived it well. He did not have much in this life, but he loved much. Here was one person who did not have a ship; neither was he materially in good shape. But he minded the sheep, and now, he is in heaven, safe. He joins our three other Filipino SVD missionaries who died in foreign missions: Fr. Glicerio Paraguya (Ghana, Africa, 1973), Fr. Antonio Barriatos (Paraguay, 1994) and Fr. Ben Prado (Indonesia, 2004). Mabuhay kayo!

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Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! One with you in prayer for a better Philippines, especially today, our Independence Day.

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See you 6:30 p.m. at Christ the King Seminary, Quezon City for the launching of our CD "Heartfelt Moments" with blind girl Fatima Soriano, who turns 12 today, and with the Korean visionary Julia Kim.

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A moment with Lord:

Lord, give us leaders who focus neither on their political ship nor on their financial shape, but on the good of the sheep. Amen.