Shepherding

Sometime recently, at the Sunday morning Mass, the priest spoke on the shepherd and the role of the shepherd's crook.


 He may have been speaking on John 10, more likely that morning was a Matthew 20 gospel morning but I cannot remember.  I  do remember him saying in his homily, that frequently sheep get lost and the shepherd would leave the flock to seek out this lost sheep, often finding it cowering in hollows or on cliffs' edge.  As Father spoke,  it was a light bulb moment for me!  The words below, came screaming to mind and I quickly keyed them into my Blackberry.  It is my prayer to the Good Shepherd.
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Plea to the Good Shepherd

Use your crook Shepherd and lift me from this depression.

Use your staff Shepherd and protect me from the foes.

Come FIND ME Shepherd because I am lost.  Bring me back.

If I've been wayward, lead me back.

Heal my wounds dear Shepherd

Let me hear YOUR voice.

Written by Jeannelle Bernard sometime in August 2012 at Sunday Mass, Church of the Nativity, Crystal Stream Avenue, Diego Martin, Trinidad and Tobago. 

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I believe that each of us must be a shepherd at some time.  We need to be alert to that one sheep around us who is suddenly not there.  Go out and look for it!  Recently an old school friend, one of my 'age mates' as the Africans would say, committed suicide.  I can only assume that she felt her shepherd (s), those of us here on earth, could not find her so she went to the Good Shepherd.   

We need to be ever aware of those in our family and friends who may be hunted by the wolf.  The wolf comes dressed in many guises, unemployment, drug abuse, insecurity, jealousy and envy are just a few of his names.  Like the wolf in the story of 'Little Red Riding Hood' he may dress up in grandma's clothing insidiously waiting to devour the good in us.  Let it not be.   

In our wider world our vigilance must persist; to stop abuses of every nature.  Our vigilance will promote the return of morals and ethical standards and  truths and joys.  Call out for your sheep!  Call out for justice!  Push back the fear!  It is not  an easy task, this sheep/shepherd thing.  Whenever I think I have mastered it, along comes another occasion where I must be be either the sheep or the shepherd.

So while this poem is addressed to my Lord it is also addressed to those around me.  Lost as I may be, I pray that I  may be a blessing to you; that I can be there when you, little lamb, are lost and fearful.

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Until,