11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Exo 19:2-6
Rm 5:6-11
Mt 9:36-10:8
…like sheep without a shepherd.
Have you met a real shepherd before? I have.
Back in 2017, I travelled solo to Jerusalem and went to the Palestinian West Bank with a local tour. The guide brought us to the countryside near Jericho and introduced his relative to us. The shepherd was an old man in his seventies, and his flock was about 50 sheep and goats. Our guide told us Palestinian shepherds were a dying breed, as they faced many difficulties and dangers. These include loneliness, long hours, attacks from wild animals, harassment from Israel security forces and Jewish settlers. Yet those who join do so to make this sacrifice to protect valuable life stock for the Palestinian people.
This lack of shepherds is reflected in today’s Gospel reading. Jesus, on seeing the multitudes of people flocking to him, had compassion towards them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He further said that the harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. He then asked his disciples to pray that the Lord of the harvest send more labourers into the harvest.
For the universal Catholic Church, our priests are the shepherds who are constantly needed to guide the flock and bring in new converts. Sadly, it lacks sufficient numbers of men who are willing to serve. This is especially true for Singapore. In past years, it was the norm to have just a few seminarians at any one time. In fact, there was a dire period of 7 years where there were no ordinations at all. I still remember many masses where the parish priest, as well as our Archbishop, would ask for prayers to get more vocations.
Well, the prayers do work! Presently, the Singapore seminary has a total of 21 seminarians in various stages of their studies to become diocesan priests. Twenty are local, and one is from Brunei. In addition, I know that religious orders, such as the Franciscans from St Mary of the Angels, also have quite a few studying to be ordained as either friars or religious brothers.
I recently got to know a fourth-year seminarian, Deacon S, who is in his early thirties. I asked about his calling to join the priesthood, and was surprised by how simple and ordinary his reasons were. Since young, he had always felt God in his heart. However, there were no voices speaking to him nor messages in dreams; just contentment to do the will of God. I asked if his faith was strong then. He said that as a seminarian, he constantly struggles with doubt, loneliness (sometimes) and other issues. Then, he surprised me by saying that these difficulties are what keeps him going.
Like the Palestinian shepherd that I met, Deacon S is now choosing a life of sacrifice and service. I am glad that he did. I pray that all the seminarians will finish their studies and be ordained in due time. We need all the shepherds we can get!
(Today’s OXYGEN by Andrew Sia)
Prayer: Bless those with hearts that are discerning to serve as shepherds of your flock. Grant them the courage to answer your call.
Thanksgiving: Thanks be to Jesus, who brings eternal hope for all sinners.
OXYGEN 
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