As November draws to a close on this faithful Saturday, I rejoice to take us to the words of the Psalms of the Great King David – a man after the Heart of God; after the Heart of Jesus. Winning God’s Heart is an extremely simple task – sincere tears in humility – and this too is an extremely difficult virtue for many-a-man to cultivate. Where lies then our hope? The difficulties we suffer today are mainly as a result of lack of necessities of life. This lack too is in turn as a result of one thing: rebellion and a choice to separate from Him who himself is the fountain of abundance. When we fail to drink from the stream of abundance, we suffer the perennial disease of lack, want and hunger, and the thirst for the living water (see Jn. 4 and Jn. 6). Let us then walk but for a moment with the King that knew the Heart of God, and hence obtain a remedy for our suffering of lack and want. The words of the Twenty-third Psalm of David the King of Israel begin with:
The Lord is My Shepherd…
The concept of Shepherd probably makes more sense to the Nomads and flock rearers in the East, whose main occupation, like David, is just to be with animals, taking them places to get fed. However, no people is totally deprived of this idea around the world – the idea of a shepherd. Christ differentiated between two kinds of shepherds. First, the hireling who though, does the work of taking the flock to pasturelands is actually there for the pay, and not for the rare passion for the work. Then, there is the good Shepherd, who not only feeds the flock, he also defends them from great dangers. The sheep love him, as he loves them. It is to this kind of Shepherd that David alludes to see in the Heart of God. And to this Shepherd, Christ Himself gives a name of Good Shepherd. When David called God the Good Shepherd, it was only a prophecy of what would come to be: that since a good shepherd would defend the flock, even to the extent of giving his life that God too would save His own even by giving His Life. And this came to fulfilment in Christ who proclaimed thus: “I am the good Shepherd… I know my Sheep and my sheep know me…And I lay down my life for my sheep”. For those who have God for their Shepherd, there is a benefit and a promise, through the same David who added:
…there is nothing I shall want.
Even the dastardly rich experience want. 
There are many things which not even money can buy. Peace, joy, happiness, love, and many other commodities are priceless beyond the realm of worldly wealth, and so even the rich could be in extreme lack or want of these thereof. But one with God is majority; and he who has Christ has all these things put together. What then could they want, who have God for their Shepherd? How are the flocks of God not in want even when hunger and strife prevails in the city? Our friend David goes on to explain:
He makes me lie down in pastures green; He leads me beside still waters; My soul He restoreth…
A green earth is an earth with life, while an earth (like the earth of today) which has lost its greenness moves towards perdition. The simile of the word green denotes plenty and abundance. Abundance found in the land of green pastures is such that the whole flock could eat, and never consume. It is in excess, it grows, and it re-grows. Therefore the sheep could feed to its fill, and lie down in rest. For then, nothing else troubles it since it is under the watchful gaze of the good shepherd. It could then close its eye, and rest in peace on the cool breezy green pasture.
Turbulent waters are a representation of violence, strife and unrest. The good shepherd takes his flock for grazing near restful waters, where the pasture is ever green, and from where the flock could drink to their fill. It is only in those moments that the words of the psalmist in another place could make meaning thus: “I would lie down in peace, and sleep comes at once…” When God Himself is our Shepherd, our soul will have peace; and when our soul have peace, we will truly be at rest; and when we are at rest, the strength of the soul is restored. The Psalmist continues:
Even if I should walk along the valley of death’s shadow, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me…
The mountain is a normal grazing place for the sheep. However, one could find oneself strolling into the valleys. At the valleys reside the predators who lie in wait for their preys. And so such journeys into the valleys don’t often turn out successful. However, the Psalmist declares his lack of fear thereof because the Good Shepherd walks behind – and will ALWAYS defend His flock even to the point of death. Our own “valley of the shadow of death” is the world in which we live. Only those whose Shepherd is God will make it past the thorns and pains of this life. Christ has already won the battle for us. We only have to join the line and match with Him to the Life that fears no Death. The Psalmist goes on to portray what takes place beyond the valley of the shadow of death. He continues:
…Thou preparest a Table before, in the sight of my foes; Thou anoints my head with oil; My cup overflows…
Even the Psalmist saw the vision of glory, the beatific vision, and he goes on to explain it in kingly terms. When we make it past that valley, past that shadow, we shall rejoice for the Lamb has successfully led the sheep through the darkness that was into the wondrous light that be. On the other side of the valley, on that mountain, what the prophet said will come to pass: the Lord of Host prepares a banquet for us. And there too, we shall reign with Him as Kings. And so, He would anoint our heads with oil, and we will feast with the slain Lamb who becomes the Lion King. Our enemies will watch, and would have the privilege to drink, as the Rich man asked Abraham, from the drops and excesses of our own chalice, because our cup overflows. The King would not want the sight of such great vision to ever come to an end, so he says a prayer:
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. In the Lord’s own House shall I dwell, forever and ever…
When the same psalmist proclaimed thus: “I rejoiced when I heard them say, ‘Let us go to God’s House’”, it was to the earthly structure that he referred. However, Mount Zion is the Great King’s City, the Heavenly Jerusalem where millions of Angels have gathered for the Lamb’s feast. There is the dwelling place of God. There is our final destination. For those who follow the Lamb who is the good Shepherd, on that mountain would they make their home forever. My Shepherd is my God, I will place my trust in Him. The choice is yours. One problem with the people of this era is that even though the Shepherd has known them from the beginning of time, they do not know Him; and that is a condition for gaining the Pastoring which only God could give. Are you ready to be a flock by God’s own right hand – the Lamb Shepherd? You must know Him even as He knows you.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end.
Amen.
PEACE!
Fiat Lux! 