Lord My Chef Sunday Music, Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II, 11 May 2025
It is the Good Shepherd Sunday and also the eve of local elections in our country. Clearly God is speaking to us today of the need to vote wisely by choosing candidates who can be like good shepherds who will lead our nation to greener pastures.
What a tragedy that despite our being a predominantly Christian nation not only in Asia but in the whole world, we have continued to lag in growth and development because we have consistently put into office corrupt and inept officials.
That is why this Sunday we have chosen Simply Red’s 1989 cover of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes’ original hit in 1972, If You Don’t Know Me by Now. It is a love song of a man’s lament of how his beloved has failed to “know” him so well that they quarrel so often.
Sing the song everybody, c'mon
If you don't know me by now (Moldova!)
You will never never never know me, ooh
Now all the things that we've been through
You should understand me like I understand you
Now girl I know the difference between right and wrong
I ain't gonna do nothing to upset our happy home
Oh, don't get so excited
When I come home a little late at night
You know, we only act like children
When we argue, fuss and fight
Are we not like that in the Philippines? We cannot move forward as we keep on quarreling because we put the wrong people in government. We never think of the greater majority and of the future generations. Worst, we refuse to accept what we know! We know the candidate as corrupt and shallow yet many still vote for them. We know that the candidates are just popular as actors and actresses without any background at all in governance yet many still elect them into office doing nothing except to entertain.
In a deeper sense, it is in knowing that we are able to love most like Jesus Christ in today’s gospel when he declared “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (Jn.10:27-28). For the Jews, knowing another person is more of the heart than of the mind; knowing another person is having a relationship not just being aware of one’s name and address.
Knowing and loving work hand in hand: only Jesus can love us immensely despite his knowing of our flaws and weaknesses and sins. Though it is difficult for us humans to imitate, the most we can do is first of all within ourselves to have that self-knowledge that leads us to accept who we really are to become a better person. Anyone who truly loves God and the country will always choose the best candidate for any office after an effort of knowing everything about them. To hear and follow the Good Shepherd means we choose the best, we reject the worst who are often the most sinful.
Candidates who truly love the country, on the other hand, will never pursue an office if they know in themselves they are not capable of the job ahead. It is something they must learn to accept despite their popularity or desire to be in any position.
Like what the song says, nobody’s perfect but if we work hard to know the other person including ourselves, things can get better for more understanding and acceptance. And love.
We all got our own funny moods
I've got mine, I'll bet you woman, you got yours too
You better trust in me, like I trust in you
As long as we'll be together, it should be so easy to do
Just get yourself together
Or we might as well say goodbye
What good is a love affair
When you can't see eye to eye? Oh
If you don't know me by now (if you don't know me, baby)
You will never, never, never know me (no you won't) ooh
No you won't, no you won't, no you won't
If you don't know me by now (twenty long years, we've been together)
You will never, never, never know me ooh (oh)
If you don't know me by now
You will never, never, never know me (no you won't) ooh
We love the original but we find Simply Red Mick Hucknall’s version so moving, especially the live one from Sydney Opera House in 2010. Enjoy.
*Please, know your candidates tomorrow and vote wisely. Together let us build a better tomorrow for all of us despite our flaws and weaknesses.
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