CLP  AND THE SERVICE TEAM

OT Rebla

February 2010-02-26

G’day. Sorry, I’ve been so busy and lazy in the past months. We just had a
big family function last year and thanks to God it all turned-out a
success.

We’ll be having our CLP in the next few months and this is something to
ponder for the service team.

Shepherding in imitation of Christ

Today's readings focus us on the quality of leadership called
"shepherding." Our priests are the shepherds of the parish. The bishop is
the shepherd of the priests and all the parishioners of his diocese. The
pope is the shepherd of the world — he is called to be Jesus Christ the
Good Shepherd for everyone today, in imitation of him, in obedience to him,
and as a voice speaking for him, inheriting this role from Saint Peter.

All leaders — laity as well as clergy — are called to imitate Jesus' style
of shepherding. Parents are to do it as they shepherd their families.
Teachers are to do it as they shepherd their classrooms. Employers are to
do it as they shepherd those who work under them. Secretaries are to do it
as they shepherd the people who come through their office.

How does Jesus serve you? That's how we're to shepherd others.

The Good Shepherd is caring.
He protects his flock.
He guides his sheep to safer pastures.
He goes after the lost and finds them.
He carries the weak ones over the rough spots.
He fights off the wolves and defeats them with the power of God.
Always alert to do his job well, he relies on the Holy Spirit who empowers
him.

In imitation of Christ, we care about each "sheep" and "lamb" in our lives.
We guide them by taking an active interest in their problems and offering
them the wisdom we've gained from experience and from the Holy Spirit.

In the power of Christ, we find ways to bridge the gaps of division, i.e.,
seeking "the lost." We let them lean on us when they're weak or feeling
unlovable or overwhelmed by difficulties. We pray for them, helping them
defeat the demons that prey on them like wolves.

Meanwhile, we continue working on our own healing process and spiritual
development — as fully as possible — so that we can decrease and Jesus the
Good Shepherd can increase in us for the sake of others.

We must be continually open to learning how to take better care of our
flocks. We develop greater compassion by getting in touch with our own
pain, our own times of being attacked by wolves, our own need to be guided
to safer pastures. And we do whatever is possible to heal and learn from
these difficulties.

In whatever ways Jesus has shepherded us, this is how we are called to
shepherd others. Our success in doing this depends on how hard we work at
learning from Christ and improving how well we imitate him. Bye for now
until time.  “I WILL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEEDS: Philippians 4:19