Episode Transcript
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Dear friends, today is known as
Good Shepherd Sunday.
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We reflect upon Jesus the Good Shepherd,
prepared to lay down His life for His sheep.
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And of course, yesterday we celebrated Anzac Day.
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Anzac Day honours shepherd like service,
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and a memorial to all our
uniformed service people,
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who have been prepared to lay down their lives,
in the service of peace in our world.
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Today we might reflect also
how we might be Good Shepherds.
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Now when I was a military chaplain,
the callsign for chaplains was “Shepherd”,
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and chaplains carried a Shepherd’s crook
or a staff, instead of a rifle.
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Chaplains would shepherd their sheep,
by going out into society,
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to be present in people’s day to day lives.
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Now of course, I was so fascinated by Jesus
regular use of the metaphor of shepherding,
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that I actually established this flock.
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Here at our veterans retreat we
have been caring for these sheep,
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along with many veterans.
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It’s challenging work.
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They get sick and injured,
they wander off and get lost,
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they then despair about being
separated from their tribe.
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They get anxious of predators,
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and the shepherd must be present
to guard them and assure them.
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Shepherding of sheep, or people,
can be messy and frustrating,
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and requires love, and patience, and resilience.
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But God calls us all to contribute
to the shepherding of souls.
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We need more people to be
actively involved in ministries,
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following the example of Jesus.
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Now He broadly exercised His ministry
by going out to the margins of society,
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embracing those most in need.
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Pope Leo also calls us to be Good Shepherds.
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In his recent encyclical, called, Dilexi Tea,
he says that we must be a church
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focused on caring for those who are poor in
body, mind or spirit, both at home and abroad.
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Now that might seem a bit risky,
but we can get involved,
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by following the compassion, the commitment
and service that our ANZACs have witnessed to,
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in missions of service, as peacemakers.
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They took a risk.
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Some gave all, all gave
some, some are still giving .
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May we be service people, proactively involved
in the mission of God, as shepherds of souls.
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Know also that when ever we need to enter
into a valley of darkness, we need not fear,
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for the Good Shepherd will be watching over us.
