Greetings friends,
This is Mark Gladman,
Also known as Brother Frederick James,
Your friendly neighbourhood monk in docks,
Welcoming you to another reflection as we walk through Lent,
Meditating on the I Am statements of Jesus,
And we continue this week in I Am the Door.
So as we begin,
I invite you to take a deep breath in,
Slowly exhale,
Let yourself settle into this moment,
Let the noise of the day that's around you begin to fade.
Now imagine yourself standing in a wide open field.
The morning casts a warm glow and all around you,
You see flocks of sheep grazing peacefully.
The air is still,
Until a voice calls out.
It's the voice of the shepherd,
And immediately the sheep lift their heads.
They recognise the voice that has led them,
And fed them,
And protected them.
They know that voice,
And because they know it,
They all follow.
Jesus tells us in John chapter 10 verses 3 and 4.
The sheep hear his voice,
He calls his own sheep by name,
And leads them out.
When he has brought out all his own,
He goes ahead of them,
And the sheep follow him,
Because they know his voice.
The image is simple,
But it carries a deep truth.
To follow Jesus,
We must recognise his voice,
And yet,
In the midst of life's noise,
It's very easy to feel uncertain.
There are so many voices that are calling to us.
The voices of busyness,
Of expectation,
Of fear.
The voices of the world's demands,
Distractions and doubts.
And sometimes,
Sometimes more often than we'd hope,
These voices drown out the one voice that truly matters.
So how do we learn to recognise the shepherd's voice?
How do we distinguish it from all others?
I invite you now to pause for a moment and consider.
What does Jesus' voice sound like in your life?
And when have you sensed Jesus' guidance,
Or peace,
Or call?
Perhaps his voice has come through scripture,
A verse or passage that spoke directly to your heart.
Perhaps it has come through prayer,
A deep sense of knowing,
A quiet nudge towards love.
Perhaps his voice has come through another person,
Someone who reminded you of truth,
Someone who spoke words of kindness at just the right moment.
Now ask yourself,
Are there voices you need to tune out?
Are there distractions that make it harder to hear the voice of Jesus?
What might help you create more space for the voice of Jesus in your daily life?
We pause for a moment and let these questions rest in our hearts.
And in this moment of stillness,
Let go of any noise or any distractions.
If you find yourself distracted,
Simply let it go.
And in the stillness and silence,
Imagine yourself as one of those sheep standing in that peaceful field.
The shepherd is near and his voice is calling.
Listen,
What do you hear?
What gentle guidance is he offering you today?
Let us pause in silence for a moment and listen.
As we come to the close of our time together,
Let us pray.
Jesus,
Our shepherd,
You call each of us by name.
You speak words of love,
Words of truth,
Words of life.
But so often we are surrounded by noise.
Help us.
Help us to quiet our hearts.
Help us to listen with attentiveness and help us to listen and trust.
Give us the wisdom to discern your voice above all others.
Give us the courage to follow where you lead.
And when we feel lost,
Remind us that you are always calling us home.
May we walk forward today with ears open,
Hearts ready,
And spirits with a heart of hope.
May we walk forward today with a heart of hope.
May we walk forward today with a heart of hope.
May we walk forward today with a heart of hope.
May we walk forward today with a heart of hope.
May we walk forward today with a heart of hope.
In the word,
In the depths of your heart.
And may you follow with confidence,
Knowing that you are led by love.
And as you go,
May grace and love follow you every step of the way and lead you today and every day.
Amen.
Until tomorrow,
Go in peace,
My friends.
Bye for now.
