Good evening to all our dear listeners. I would like to begin our reflection tonight by reading a Psalm that is known to everyone, Psalm 23.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

This is one of the favorite Psalms of the Church because it assures us that our Lord Jesus will take care of us.

He is the Good Shepherd of our soul. You know the image of the Good Shepherd is significant in matters relating to the souls in purgatory. It is because He doesn’t only guide us in this life but He also leads us to eternal life. It is one of the commonly used images by Christians for catacombs in honor of their beloved dead, family and friends.

Pope Benedict, in his Encyclical entitled SPE Salvi gave a very good reflection about the image of the Good Shepherd. He based this reflection on Psalm 23. He says, "In the representation or in the image of the Good Shepherd, the Church could identify with existing models in the Roman art. The shepherd was generally an expression of a dream for a tranquil and simple life." Isn’t it true, people long for a simple life, especially those who live in the middle of chaos in a big city?

For example, during summer most people in the city make it a point to go to the province where life is very different from the fast-paced life in the city. You know, when I go to the province to take a break from the tiring life in the city, I dream that someday I will retire in a place where life is relaxed and easy, and that is in the province. Ironically, people in the province would dream and try everything to be in the busy and sometimes chaotic life in the city.

The simple and quiet life in the province is the image of a shepherd; it is the image of a simple and good life. Every morning the shepherd calls his flock, leads them to the pasture, sits and waits until it is time to go back; he stands, gathers his flock and leads them back. What simple life: quiet, no complications, no hassles, no rush. The only time when the shepherd needs to rush is when the flock is threatened, by storm or other danger from which they have to be protected against. The life of a shepherd is generally simple.

Now the Pope says that we will understand Christ as the Shepherd more deeply through this Psalm - The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want… Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me. He says the true Shepherd will know even the path to death, and will walk with us even when no one else will join us in the journey; he will guide us and never leave us. Isn’t this beautiful?

We have to understand that the paths to death is a solitary road. Many of us wish that we be surrounded by our loved ones in the time of our death. It is touching to have our family, our children, parents and friends to be around us in our last breath, but remember my dear brothers and sisters that when that time comes for us to pass, for our soul to separate from our body, we will leave all our loved ones here on earth. And we will have to cross that door to eternity on our own.

When you die, no matter how many people come to your wake and stay with you for many nights until you are buried, they will all go home after your remains are buried to the ground. And you will be there alone. This is what the Pope meant, the fact of final solitude is the fact of death. The Lord said that we enter the kingdom through a narrow door. Only one can enter at a time; no group of friends or "barkada", no one can accompany you when you enter the narrow door, the fact of final solitude.

But see that Jesus went through that road, He descended to the dead. He already went through that path where we will walk eventually. He humbled Himself and went there, triumphed over death and now is risen again so that He can be with us throughout the journey, and give us the certainty that together with him, we can find the way. The early Christians know this, the Lord is with us even through death, and by his staff gives us rest so that we will not be afraid of any harm. This is the new kind of hope that shines to those who believe in him.

Think of the many religions in the world. Who among their founders have died and came back from the dead? No one. Our Lord Jesus died too just like them. He was crucified, died and was buried. But unlike the other religions, the Christians have a God who, after three days rose from the dead. All religions try to teach the way to heaven, but let me ask you, who do you ask to go with you if you are going to a place that you have not been to before? Someone who has been there, or someone who is just like you who does not know where he is going? Of course, ask someone who has been there before because you can be sure that he knows the way to where you want to go. And who among the founders of religion have gone to the lonely path of death and came back to life? There is only one, and that is our Lord Jesus Christ, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me. Your rod and your staff they comfort me." Now I know why Jesus calls Himself The Way. No one can go up to heaven except through the one who descended from there, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

Dear brothers and sisters, we continue to entrust the souls in purgatory to our Good Shepherd. Today let us pray Psalm 23, and let us offer it to those who believe in Him. Our Good Shepherd, I know that you walked the path of death, and I know that you triumphantly came from the grave. I hold on to your hand; do not let me lose hold of you. With you, I cross the path of darkness and death with all strength, and you will lead me to the pasture of eternal life.

The Almighty Lord bless you the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.