"Good Shepherd: A Psalm 23 Roadmap" | May 3rd, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Luk De Volder

Good morning and welcome to Trinity on the Green Zoom. On this Good Shepherd Sunday we particularly miss our Green with the symbolism of the Lord leading us to green pastures. I certainly miss you more and more. I honestly admit I am not really getting used to Zoom and I so am looking forward to the end of physical distancing.  

I am certainly not alone, as many people streaming into nature and parks and beaching are showing us, now that the sun is out. The motivation for the lockdown is varying by now. Time to check the Covid-19 Motivation Barometer and see how motivated you are. Some of us are still very motivated, others are starting to be demotivated. Some of us are excited, especially when we celebrate some of the Corona virus heroes, all the “essential” workers. Or think of politicians, like the New Zealand prime minister who called the tooth ferry an essential worker (or the governor of Rhode Island - kidding). Others think of Covid villains, some of them are also politicians, or are really fed-up and show this with guns.  

In any case, the road can get tough, especially when that road is mostly a path of the mind or the soul. It is here that the lockdown can have an opportunity as well. Inevitably during this time inside, we are all pushed into our own inside. We at least have a stronger proximity to our internal movements, meditations, or thought-meanderings. And that is not always what we feel ready for. Or at times, we are not so glad to turn inside ourselves.  

Along the pages of Scripture you see the main movement of our hearts reflected when we engage on this road. At times we focus on the rules of God and our heart tries to be in submission. At other times we only focus on the purity of our heart but scrutinize it then with pressure for perfection. In both cases religion risks to exhaust our spirit because we are either consumed by rules or by the ego and we have yet to enter in relationship and dialogue with God. 

It is here that Christianity presents a very particular take on dealing with the self. Embracing yourself can feel so liberating but at times it is also a challenge. Christianity confirms the goodness of your individual being and to claim your self, but it doesn’t force you to be the lead of your own spiritual/mental success on you own.  

It is here that the Good Shepherd comes in, as many Christians of centuries before us show us. The Good Shepherd is the oldest depiction of Jesus. Here is the one from the Roman Catacomb of Domitilla.  

 In the internal dialogue of the heart that at times may look like prayer, at other times is more like a rant or a lament, the Good Shepherd enters, not to diminish our freedom, on the contrary, to enhance it. And the Good Shepherd walks with us where we fear to go, the Good Shepherd guides us where we feel frustrated or lonely or betrayed or lost, … 

O good Lord, do I really have to go through this? Why are these people giving me a hard time? Why did my sister have to go? Where do you call me to go, Lord?  

These are questions that are almost constantly running through my heart. Inspire me God. Holy Spirit, power of God, give me strength? Where am I God? Help me to see how I can help this person? Inspire me to lead. Kindle my hope. 

And before I realize it, I am walking with the Good Shepherd. The core of Christianity happened at this unseen depth of our hearts, where we gain the strength and develop the urge and stamina to bring love and service into this world. But before that strength, this urge and stamina attains traction, God’s grace first takes root in our souls, pulls us out of our sorry selves, and brings us closer to God’s gentle calling. The Lord joins me in my trials and my hopes and with a gentle company takes a hold of my wandering feet to guide them with a guidance of friendship that I so need and have been longing for.  

It is this intimacy with God guiding us and walking with us that is the core practice that God seeks to grow in each of us. And when we gather then together on Sunday, we do so - not to follow a bulletin or to perform multiple services, but to give our common thanksgiving because that light and guidance in our hearts that gives us the inspiration and strength to serve humanity and the world. 

Allowing yourself to be guided is that crucial jump, the surrender of freedom, this jump into the unknown that will make you feel known.  

If you don’t know what I am talking about, I invite you to join the many writers of pandemics and to join their meditation attitude. The Green pasture of the Lord who is my shepherd, may inspire you. I would propose to take Psalm 23, the Lord is my Shepherd, as a road map for the soul. You could walk this Shepherd road map verse by verse and simply check how you recognize yourself in that situation.   

Lockdown can be very frustrating. The road inside, however, can also unlock an adventure of life changing proportions. The Good Shepherd is your zen-guru, teacher, guide who leads you to those Green pastures.