Prayer for Teachers as Good Shepherds

 The Good Shepherd Sunday April 30, 2023 

Prayer for Teachers as Good Shepherds

By Dr Abe V Rotor

On many occasions Christ found nature as the perfect setting of his prayers, sermons and parables. Among them are The Sower, Sermon on the Mount, Mustard Seed, Prodigal Son, and The Good Shepherd. The Sea of Galilee, River Jordan, Plain of Judea, Garden of Gethsemane (oasis) were part of his wanderings to reach out for the faithful. 

We are teachers in our own rights - as parents, community leaders, elders, scholars, etc.

Father Almighty, teach us to become good teachers in the way of the Good Shepherd

Father Almighty, source of light, of life and everything in this world, as we observe Teachers' Day, we beg you to be with us, to be our “unseen Guest.” Light our way; touch our heart as we touch the hearts of others, especially the young ones, the youth, whom You have placed under our care. Bless us with joy and enthusiasm, with zeal and obedience, with understanding and compassion as we take their hands and walk with them to make this world a better place to live in.

Teach us then to become good teachers and educators in the way of the Good Shepherd.

- Make us unifying element that we may live peacefully in one community;

- Make us catalysts of change, and an anchor of undefined destiny as well;

- Make us conveyors of knowledge, skill and values rolled into a holistic well-being;

- Make us healers by bringing enlightenment to human misery;

- Make us agents of rational thoughts and decisions;

- Make us sentries that we may fend off evil intentions that undermine true education;

- Make us custodians of tradition amid modernism;

- Make us guardians in the way of the Parable of the Sower, and the Prodigal Son;

- Make us the Good Samaritan, as well.

You have chosen us teachers to be the intellect and heart of the academe - because You want us to examine education in the way we examine our calling.

- to reach out for one another;- to listen;

- to care;- to comfort;

- to encourage one another when we fail;

- to pray for one another when we falter;

- to be strong together;

- to share the joy of teaching; and

- to convey the Sermon on the Mount

With you, Father Almighty, we can do many things; without you, we can do nothing. We ask You these through your Son Jesus Christ, who reigns forever and ever. Amen ~

Sermon on the Mount: the Greatest Teacher who ever lived and preached among the people is Christ. Even with the computer and other means of modern education today, the philosophy and methodology of teaching laid down by Christ remains as relevant and forceful as ever.  Like passing on the torch of knowledge and wisdom, Christ has influenced teachers, leaders, people of all walks of life, particularly at the grassroots, more than any teacher the world has known.  

* World Teachers' Day - October 5 2023 

Discover Nature and Discover Yourself

           Discover Nature and Discover Yourself

Dr Abe V Rotor

Living with Nature - School on Blog

Idyllic Farm Life mural by Dr Abe V Rotor, circa 2002

If you've been in all your life living on the fast lane, trying to beat everyone, 

though you know you'll never win this nameless race;

If you've been residing in a high rise building, taller than everything around,

and touching the clouds, and you know your feet is off the ground;

If you've been missing the passing of seasons, the wonders that each brings,

though you keep the holidays and weekends;

If you've been constantly bothered by ailments that medicine can only relieve,

and not cure, and doctors can only advise;

If you've lost contact with your roots through the years of searching for fame,

wedging farther your connection, feeling like an orphan;

If you've succeeded in your career, rising to the top to the awe and admiration

of your colleagues, yet deep inside is a feeling of emptiness;

If you've reached retirement after all the years of work and its responsibilities,

but trapped in a dull, prosaic life of boredom;

If you've lost your loved ones, alone you gather the pieces of happy memories,

nostalgic they are the rest of your life;

If you've been a good and loving guardian to your own children and other children, and they call you dad or lolo, and feeling being young again;

Get out of your confine, find a place in nature, live with her beauty and bounty, 

her people and community, you may yet find the meaning of life. ~

High Rise Ruins - An artist's concept of Neo-Babel Syndrome in our postmodern time.

                                        High Rise Ruins

         An artist's concept of Neo-Babel Syndrome.

Dr Abe V Rotor

High rise building ruins with apocalyptic background made of 
termite wood remnants (Twin frames 18" x 12" and 14" x 8") 
by AVRotor 2020 

Beautiful is a high rise indeed, its glory seems forever,

its pinnacles pierce the blue sky, passing clouds into rain,

shrouded by smog and acid rain, in red and lavender;

yet all told, slowly rises the remains of a city lost in vain,

a jungle like remnants of termites, with nothing to gain. ~

Little drama between master and pet

Little drama between master and pet* 

Dr Abe V Rotor

Test the rational side of man

the way he puts a stand

on behalf of his best friend

all the way to the end.

 

Who is sad, who is happy?

To be or not to be;

the drama of life to unfold

between man and dog. ~

* Author's children, Anna and Marlo, and their pets at home. 

My Best Photographs: The Photographer as Subject of Photography (Part 7)

Part 7 - My Best Photographs

The Photographer as Subject of Photography

“Photography is the art of making memories tangible.”

 – Destin Sparks

Dr Abe V Rotor

Baby Orangutan prides herself the center of attention of author and his spouse.

Haring Gagamba (King Spider) rules the air.

Discovering the secret of legumes to fix nitrogen 

in their roots.  

Hanging roots of balete make author 

look amusing.  

Papaya or papaw helps reduce the risk of 

heart disease.

Basi, traditional wine of Ilocanos from sugarcane, 

 

Author receives Fr Jose Burgos Award for Excellence,

at Vigan Ilocos Sur.  With him is his wife, Cecille. 

With Dr Anselmo S Cabigan, author's classmate, 

co-worker and best friend. 

Author examines rare mushroom specimens at the 

Museum of Natural History, UPLB Laguna. 

Author quenches thirst from a Traveler's Palm "fountain".

Author and Dr Romualdo M del Rosario on the latter's birthday.

Light moments with grand daughter Mackie.

Author as tutor of Aiten, grand nephew.  

Drawing demonstration in a summer art workshop for children. 

Playing the violin before a wall mural of nature 

"We are always the same age inside." - Gertrude Stein

 Playing antics with an anther-shaped bamboo 

underground runner. 

 

Ulrang Ama awardee poses with family and co-awardee, 

Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, after the awarding ceremony. 

Author celebrates his 81st Birthday

The author as fishing enthusiast in his younger years. ~

"The best tunes are played on the oldest fiddles!" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

My Best Photographs - "The Human Touch" (Part 6)

 My Best Photographs (Part 6) 

 "The Human Touch" 

Dr Abe V Rotor

"Wearing a pair of butterflies that alights on the hair

is indeed very rare."

A moment of peace with the living world on the wall.

Children's music with the xylophone brings Christmas 

early to the doorsteps.   

Birds in captivity - where is freedom, where is love?

Creativity in drawing nature is spontaneous and 

virtually limitless.

A delightful and  bountiful harvest of Caulerpa seaweed.

Green ladies - defenders of nature.

Smiling with nature on the wall.

Flowers are forever in the garden

Father-and-Son, counterpart of Mother-and-Child 

What a joyous company with nature! 

A make-believe waterfall on the wall reminds

of the mythical Pierian Spring.

Follow and catch the sunbeam before it is gone. 

Whale in the sky - one for the Book of Guinness. 

Museum of Natural History, UPLB Laguna

A cat purring in the comfort of her lap makes 

the bronze icon seem alive.

Bring home and listen to the sea hiss and roar in a large shell.

Tententen - the dog that found a home and company 

on  the 10th of October 2010

Painting the floor a huge mural with the innocence 

and originality of a very young artist.

Teacher-and-Pupil in a Kinder School 

A bunny "at home na at home."

Nature, Nature on the wall and floor, 

who is the fairest of all? 

The art of eating with the hand on the beach

 Brain Coral of the Sea

Classroom under the mango trees. ~