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October 17, 2005
A shepherd's responsibility
"Here we do business with souls" were the words summarizing the work of St. John Bosco, a 19th century Italian priest. God had given him a heart as vast as the sands of the seashore to love and care for young boys of Turin, a 19th century Italian town. This can be said of every church that does business with the souls of people in search of God. Today, shepherding a congregation entails lot of responsibility before the Maker because the shepherds are his representatives.
How sad then it is to see some shepherds act like hirelings that Jesus refers to in the Gospel of John chapter 10! Shepherds who think it is okay to compromise the flock by accommodating the wishes of the wolves in some segments of society, wolves that come in sheep's clothing. Do these shepherds know of their compromise? Of course they do. Why do they do so, then? In order to comply with the wishes and demands of a segment of society that no longer cares for faith nor morals.
"A priest never goes to heaven or hell alone" said St. John Bosco. Borrowing his words, we may say that minister never goes to heaven or hell alone. It is expedient, that the flock decipher who their leader is: a shepherd or hireling. If your minister instructs you in the ways of God, founded in Scriptures and in the Tradition of the church, then you are in safe hands. Should your minister compromise your soul and tell you that sin is not sin, and that is okay in every way because everyone does it, its time to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit. You ought to know that such a leader is out to expose his flock to ferocious wolves while running for his own life.
The recent decision of the ECUSA church in Fayetteville to go ahead and support the blessing of the same sex, a little short of marriage(because it's illegal in Arkansas), and call it a rite is definitely deplorobale. Our issue is just not with homosexuality, it is with abortion, euthenesia, adultery or anything that is abominable in the sight of the Lord. If we have sinned, it is right to acknowledge our sinfulness and ask for forgiveness from the Almighty and get on the path towards holiness. Well, is that not the duty of the church - to safeguard the faith and morals of its faithful? But when a church in its teaching confuses its followers about what is sin and what is grace, it is time for the faithful to do some soul searching. Perhaps they are in a building called the church but without a heart - the heart being the grace of God. Perhaps they are in the wrong place. It's time to reconsider, to make a metanoia-a total change of heart towards God.
Posted by frleo at October 17, 2005 9:50 PM
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