The Great Shepherd of the Flock
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”
I don’t like sharing images that I can’t source and generally try to avoid it, but this striking, folksy watercolor I found floating around Pintrest is so perfect for our themes, so arresting in its simplicity, so rich in its overtones that I couldn’t resist.
Here is Jesus, the Good Shepherd: robed in the vivid colors of humanity (all the more poignant for the child-like character of the painting), yet effulgent with the light of divinity. He cares for the sheep. You can almost feel his gentle magnetism. Those sheep who are able come streaming to him, drawn by the depth and the overwhelming power of his love. Those who are sickly and lame are taken up by him, and cast tenderly upon his shoulders. From his riven heart cascades forth flows of water, living and lifegiving. The sheep can smell and taste it, but their eyes are fixed on him, not on his gifts.
Here is the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep! But in what way, in what universe is that “good” shepherding? Is not the life of the shepherd of greater value than that of the sheep? Yet we see in our Lord Christ, crucified and risen for us, a deeper flow of divine love and wisdom. He accesses, by his infinite and eternal self-giving, a source of love deep and broad and high, that sweeps us up, and bears us into the verdant pastures of his unseen abundance.
Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
— Psalm 23:6
Third Sunday of Easter
Texts for Today
Prayer
O God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd of your people: Grant that, when we hear his voice, we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever.
The Shepherd
Welsh composer Karl Jenkins has crafted a beautiful a cappella setting of William Blake's lyrical pastoral poem "The Shepherd" from his collection "Songs of Innocence." Jenkins is renowned for his versatile, emotive compositions that have found wide appeal, from advertising campaigns to concert halls. In "The Shepherd," he masterfully captures the peaceful, reverent tone of Blake's verses through warm, interwoven vocal harmonies.
The poem itself paints a serene scene of the shepherd tending his flock, attuned to the innocent calls of the lambs and the tender replies of the ewes. Blake's words evoke a sense of the shepherd's deep connection to his sheep, ever watchful over them, his tongue "filled with praise." Blake is attentive to the irony of the Good Shepherd, who “strays” after his sheep, “following” them all the day. Jenkins' choral setting brings this pastoral idyll to life, the voices blending as if to represent the shepherd's flock, the music flowing gently like a lullaby, yet also springing playfully through the hills in long, delicious melismas.
What makes Jenkins' treatment so compelling is the way he allows the natural beauty of the human voice to convey the profound wonder and simplicity of the shepherd's lot. There is an almost hypnotic quality to the sustained, intertwining melodies, mirroring the shepherd's tranquil existence as tends his flock. The piece invites the listener to slow down, to quiet the noise of the world, and to find solace in the quiet, abiding presence of the benevolent shepherd.
Through this evocative choral work, Jenkins and Blake invite us to reflect on our own relationship to the Good Shepherd, who watches over us with unwavering care. In these busy, often turbulent times, "The Shepherd" offers a moment of respite, a chance to hear the Shepherd's voice and find rest in his loving presence. It is a poignant, meditative piece that speaks to the timeless themes of divine providence and humanity's need for spiritual guidance and comfort.
