“One Shepherd, One Flock”
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:14-16)
Dear Parishioners,
This Gospel passage inspired the theme “One Shepherd, One flock”, for the Pastoral Visit to Australia of His Eminence and Beatitude Mar Bechara Boutros Cardinal Rai, Maronite Patriarch.
In last weeks Shepherds Corner, I talked about the Patriarch’s visit to Australia and our Parish, as being an opportunity to experience the Apostolic presence more fully as our Maronite Patriarch, traces his Ministry back to St Peter and the early Church of Antioch. Part of the Ministry of the Apostles was to unite in love and build up the Church in faith, to grow the flock of Jesus the Good Shepherd. The Apostle’s were called to be Shepherd’s of the Church, following the example of Jesus. As Shepherds they were called to lead, and build up the Church and the flock in unity with each other and in unity in Christ with the Father. All of us are called to share in the mission of Jesus from our baptism and we have a shepherding role to work with those who are the ordained shepherds in the priestly ministry.
Three things we can notice about our Patriarch is his willingness to always reach out to his flock and meet people, his prayerfulness during the Liturgy, and his energetic and engaging style in his teaching and preaching the Word of God.
In his role and Ministry, the Patriarch will remind us to be united in love, united in prayer and the Liturgy to the Father and through Jesus and to proclaim and teach with the power of the Holy Spirit, in our words and most importantly in our actions.
At the family level, parents are called as husbands and wives to share in this shepherding role for their children as mums and dads and can be inspired to take on these attributes that we see in the Patriarch.
On the Parish level, I feel honoured as a Shepherd to work with so many among our Parishioners, who are always willing to give of their time generously to lead and work in unity, prayerfully and with faith with the priests following the words of the Good Shepherd. The effort and time so many have given, so generously, to organize and prepare for the visit of the Patriarch is a wonderful testimony to this.
This Sunday, after all the effort and time given by so many, as Parishioners, with joy and enthusiasm we will welcome our Patriarch, for his first public Mass and we look forward through his Ministry, to be nourished by God’s Word and to receiving Christ, the Good Shepherd, truly present in the Eucharist.
