Psalm 23 is rich with promises, and draws a beautiful word painting for us in which we are led in our imaginations to a green pasture beside still waters where our souls are restored. It is a place where we have nothing to fear. Hardships will come our way, but even in these times we will be comforted by the shepherd’s presence with us. We will lack nothing for the shepherd leads us into life.
In today’s gospel, Jesus, perhaps with this Psalm in mind, speaks of himself as the good shepherd, an image commonly seen in artwork, stained glass and sculpture in churches around the world. The image of ‘Jesus the Good Shepherd’ gives comfort and assurance, and reminds us of that place promised in Psalm 23 – the place of rest,nourishment, protection, and belonging; the place where we are known and loved.
What of shepherds in 1st century Palestine? Shepherds know their sheep, and have their wellbeing at heart. They enter the sheepfold openly and honestly, and are not an object of fear to their sheep, who know the shepherd’s voice. When the shepherd calls them by name, they respond to the call. The shepherd knows them; they know the shepherd’s voice; they are called by name, and when the shepherd calls, they respond.
Today’s gospel passage follows directly on from the telling of the story of the man born blind who is healed by Jesus. You may remember that this man, when healed, and with his sight restored, does not recognise Jesus by sight ( he could not see him when he was blind). Instead, he recognises Jesus by his voice. And we might be reminded of another Easter ‘calling by name’, when Jesus appears in the garden to Mary on that first Easter morning, and she mistakes him for the gardener. The moment of recognition in that instance comes when Jesus calls Mary by name.
In the second half of the gospel passage the metaphor changes; Jesus speaks of himself as the gate… For sheep and shepherds gates serve several purposes. When the gate is closed and the sheep are in their pen, they are safely protected from predators. They can relax. The shepherd has given them protection; they are safe.
The shepherd is also the one who opens the gate, and the sheep can go out to new pastures. They are free to explore, to seek food and shelter, to live full lives being true to themselves and their calling to be sheep! The pasture is freely offered to all, and in the words of Psalm 23 again, it provides a place where souls can be restored; it is a place of comfort, where cups are filled to overflowing.
Martin Laird, an Augustinian priest who teaches and writes on contemplation, tells a powerful story in his book Into the Silent Land. He speaks of walking across a moor with a friend and his four dogs. As they walked three of the dogs would run out across the moor, leaping, chasing, playing and joyfully exploring their environment. But one of the dogs always stayed very close to them, running in very tight circles. Laird asked his friend why this dog didn’t join the others in running free across the moors. His friend replied ‘Before coming to me, this dog was always kept in a very small cage. His body may have left the cage but in his mind he is still locked in there. So no matter how big and beautiful the moor he will never run across it. He’s still locked in, and running circles in his cage.’
Sometimes, when we are hurting, or afraid because of previous life experiences, we might not recognise that there is a gate through which we can pass into freedom. Or, sometimes the events that we carry from our past, or that we are experiencing in present difficulties, mean that, actually, we need the safety of the sheepfold, and have no desire to step outside.
Jesus’ description of himself as both shepherd and gate beautifully illustrates that God provides whatever it is that we need, whenever we need it. Jesus is the gate that can enable us, when we are ready, to go and explore in the wide green pastures. And when we need security, safety, and to know ourselves protected, Jesus the shepherd provides that too.
This Sunday is often called ‘Vocations Sunday’ – a day when we are encouraged to consider what God’s call to each of us may be, and traditionally to pray for ministerial vocations. My own story of trying to listen for God’s voice, hearing, and responding is a lifelong one. I was baptised at 6 weeks old, and my vocation, becoming who I am, continues to develop in my place among you here as your Rector. Listening for the voice of God is not a facile endeavour; it is a lifetime’s ongoing adventure.
For me, a significant help in learning to listen for and hear God’s voice was Ignatian Spirituality. As we spend time with God, listening for God’s voice, we find ourselves beginning to recognise the voice, God’s voice, that draws us towards life; in the words of St Ignatius of Loyola, that leads us to consolation … closeness to God. We learn to discern the things in life that bring us more fully alive; that lead us to be more generous, more joyful, more peaceful. We discover the joy of being able to walk through the open gate, and discover all that the world offers. At the same time, we become more able to recognise those aspects of our lives that lead to a turning away from God; St Ignatius named this desolation. These are the things that leave us feeling drained, perhaps more judgemental, disturbed, and distressed.
When we feel like this, and can recognise what has led us to these feelings, we can identify aspects of our lives that turn us away from God. For God always desires fulness of life for every one of his children. In this adventure called life God calls each one of us to become, and to keep becoming, more and more true to who we are, because this deepest part of ourselves, present at our very beginnings, and throughout our lives to the end, is where we draw closest to God.
I think this is something of what TS Eliot is writing in the last poem of his Four Quartets, Little Gidding:
With the drawing of this Love and the voice of this Calling
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
So I leave you this morning with these questions and a suggestion…
What are the things in your life that leave you feeling lost, or depressed, or unsettled? And what are the things in your life that leave you feeling alive, engaged, connected, at peace?
And as you identify places, or activities or times in relation to these two questions, maybe reflect on what these feelings, of desolation, or of consolation, may be telling you about where or what God might be calling you towards this Vocation Sunday? Perhaps then talk about it with someone you trust.
For Jesus’ longing for every one of us, as told at the end of this parable, is, I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.