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As we gather, we recognize that we live, work, pray, and play
in the traditional lands
of the Cowichan Tribes and Coast Salish People.
We continue to commit ourselves
to the work of reconciliation and relationship-building
with our First Nations neighbours.
Call to Worship:
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord:
I know my own and my own know me.
See John 10.14
O God of peace,
who brought again from the dead, our Lord, Jesus Christ,
that great shepherd of the sheep,
by the blood of the eternal covenant;
make us perfect in every good work to do your will,
and work in us that which is well-pleasing in your sight;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Gospel:
John 10. 22-30
Sermon: The Venerable Brian Evans
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of
our hearts be ever acceptable to you, O Lord. Amen.
Who Needs a Shepherd? I do!
In some church circles, today is often referred to as ‘The Good Shepherd Sunday’, while in our Canadian churches, we tend to put more emphasis on Mother’s Day.
At the same time, it is Easter 4, or Julian of Norwich.
The relationship of shepherd and mother could not be more fitting for today.
As a side bar we learn,
During her lifetime, Julian experienced the 1st (1348-50) and 2nd (1361-62) waves of the Black Death in England, which (historians estimate to have) killed 40-60%, and 20%, of the population, respectively. Resulting turmoil from the plague was a major cause of the Peasants’ Revolt, in 1381, which ended with suppression of the rebels by King Richard II. [That’s a topic for another day, possibly a Thursday reflection.]
What is more significant, on this day-with a connection between Julian, Mother’s Day, and the Good Shepherd-is 'our dependence on those who have guided us in our life'. As well as those who we have guided, including not only in our human relationship but all aspects of our life, responding to the command of God in the creation story to care for all of creation.
More significant to the life of Julian, and this day, is:
As an anchoress, Julian lived in a sealed room attached to St. Julian’s Church in the city of Norwich, where she sought to devote herself entirely to prayer, and union with God.
[Note: to satisfy my curiosity, and possibly yours, an anchoress is synonymous with ‘hermit’.]
That is not the point. The point is: Julian is such a “prayer-shepherd” for the church in the 14th century.
On this day, I am sure most of us can reflect in thanksgiving for our mothers’ being part of the "family-shepherd”: the one who has been the glue; who guided us in the pathways of life.
In the Burial Rite of the Church, we have this quote from Psalm 16.11:
You will show me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy,
and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
Even, if in that right hand, there may have been a wooden spoon!!!!!
In life, we have the pleasure of experience-for-life through a number of shepherds, male and female.
In the Acts of the Apostles today, we have, not only the witness of Peter in restoring life to Tabitha, (which in Greek is Dorcas); we also have Dorcas, herself.
Her guidance, and example, of a life of service continues to this day.
When we lived “far off”, and would read of the work of the ACW in this diocese, and 'the Dorcas Project', then to come and witness that work in person, one quickly draws the metaphor of this ministry like that of shepherding.
There are couple of phrases from this short reading of scripture.
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One is “then calling the saints and the widows, he showed her (Dorcas) how to live.”
This is one of those moments when we wish we knew the rest of the story! -
Significant to this reading, is the verse 43:
“Meanwhile, Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with Simon.”
The shepherd does not simply pen the sheep, care for the lame, and leave. The shepherd stays by the “sheep pen”, to care for the flock.
Sharing the living examples of those who we have recognized as ‘the shepherds of our lives’, of the corporate lives of our parish, those who work in the community, we need to turn for a moment to those who we may, at first appearance, with the identifying staff and cloak, of a shepherd.
This comes to my mind, when reading the Gospel for today. The scene is one of transformation.
The writer sets the scene for us.
It is winter, and Jesus is walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon.
When I read this, my weird mind thinks: ‘Jesus was not given a key to the temple, and the verger, obviously, has not arrived yet’.
Obviously, many have already gathered, waiting for the doors to open, and this conversation ensues, between Jesus and those gathering for temple.
It is obvious: they already suspect Jesus is the Messiah. Except, they want to hear it in “plain text”, we might say.
“Just tell us in simple words!”
Jesus responds.
25 Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me,
26 but you do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep.
27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, in regard to what he has given me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
30 The Father and I are one.”
For myself, v.28 reminds me of our baptism. In our baptismal rite, we say “I mark you with the sign of the cross, and mark you as Christ’s own forever.”
Acting on behalf of the Christ the Shepherd, the priest or a lay person, identifies this reality of v.28, the gift of eternal life, the gift of a life-long commitment, made on behalf of Jesus, to care for us forever, even to eternal life.
An analysis of this discourse tells us: this is the only time, in John’s Gospel, where Jesus is asked directly if he is the Messiah.
As is typical of Jesus, he does not simply say, ‘I have told you I am the Messiah’. He says, “I have told you.”
The people are saying, ‘You have told us? What have you told us?’
Jesus follows this with some connecting-of-the-dots, so to speak. In some ways, they still don’t get it.
What Jesus tells us, is it is not about who he is, rather, about his relationship with the people, as a shepherd is in relationship with the sheep.
Now, connect the dots to shepherding, and motherhood.
Neither needs to tell us, ‘they care for us’, because we know this, by our relationship.
My brother was a farmer, and for many years he raised beef cattle.
His cattle knew him. If you witnessed his going into the pen, you knew those cows knew him. (Not so much for myself, as I may have seen them, maybe once or twice in a year.)
Similar with our mothers. We know them, because of our relationship with them.
Jesus, mothers, and many others, are those who, when we ask the question, “Who needs a shepherd, we respond, ‘I DO’!”
This is the life we give thanks for today in Psalm 23. “I came so you may have life.”
The Lord is our Shepherd.