Hello my friends.
This is Mark Gladman also known as Brother Frederick James your friendly neighborhood monk in docks.
Welcoming you as we begin our fourth week of our Lenten Reflections as we walk through the iron statements in the Gospel of John looking at them through the lens of Lent and Easter.
So as always as we begin I invite you to sit,
Get comfortable.
Once you are just take a deep breath in and exhale.
Let yourself settle into this moment of stillness.
Once again breathe in and out.
Let go of any distractions.
Let go of the busyness of the day whether it's gone before you or it's about to come.
There's nowhere else you need to be right now other than in this sacred moment.
Just you and God.
And as we begin I invite you to listen to the words of Jesus as he says,
I am the Good Shepherd.
I know my own and my own know me.
With your eyes closed imagine yourself in a vast open field.
The air is fresh and clean.
The sun is warm on your skin and you hear the gentle rustling of grass as a soft breeze moves through the hills.
The scent of wildflowers lingers in the air.
In the distance you hear the sound of running water.
A cool steady stream flowing through the landscape.
Its sound is peaceful,
Inviting you to rest.
Now listen,
Somewhere close by you hear a voice.
It is strong yet gentle.
Familiar yet mysterious.
A voice full of love and wisdom.
It is the voice of the Shepherd.
This is the voice that calls you by name.
The voice that knows you better than you know yourself.
The voice that speaks truth even when the world is full of noise.
Listen.
What does the voice of Jesus sound like in your life?
Is it a whisper in the quiet moments?
Is it a deep knowing in your heart?
Is it a call towards something greater?
Or is there noise that drowns it out?
Just take a moment in the silence to listen to what that voice sounds like today.
The world is full of voices.
The voices of culture.
The voices of expectation.
The voices of fear and doubt.
But in the midst of it all,
The voice of the Good Shepherd is steady and sure.
It doesn't shout over the noise,
But it's always present.
Always calling.
What might Jesus be speaking to your heart right now?
Again,
Just take a moment to listen.
Jesus says,
My sheep listen to my voice.
I know them and they follow me.
This is not a distant Shepherd.
This is a Shepherd who walks with you.
Who knows your struggles,
Your joys,
And your deepest longings.
A Shepherd who calls you to follow,
Not in fear,
But in love.
Let yourself rest in the Shepherd's presence.
Imagine sitting by that stream,
Letting the peace of the Shepherd's presence wash over you.
No striving,
No performing.
No need to prove yourself.
Just you.
Fully known.
Fully loved.
Take a deep breath in and out.
And let us pray.
Good Shepherd,
Help us to recognise your voice.
Teach us to listen,
To trust and to follow you.
Quiet the noise that distracts us.
Let us rest in the peace of knowing that we are yours.
Open your eyes and as you go from this place,
Go with your ears attuned to the voice of the Shepherd.
Listening for that voice and ready to follow wherever the voice leads.
And may grace,
Peace and love go with you this day and every day.
Amen.
Until tomorrow,
My friends,
May the peace of the Shepherd be with you.
Bye for now.
