A blanket black across the sky:
The ice-ringed moon lights backs of sheep.
We see our breath and hear the sighs
of gathered cattle that we here keep.

There in the dark on pasture fields
while we watch over our huddling sheep,
a silver seraph, her wings revealed,
now rouses us from the darkness’ deeps.

She opens up her thousand wings,
reveals a blaze of gilded flame,
cold air around us begins to sing
in tempest that her fire proclaims.

Our hearts now race, our eyes are blind
from searing light and disbelief:
in cowering terror we take our flight
and quiver as a quaking leaf.

Out of the cauldron of light she made
comes forth a voice of gold lyre strings:
Dear shepherds, my friends, don’t be afraid
for I am herald of glad tidings.

And all around, piercing the dark,
come further blazes of wings and song,
each calling to us to rest and hark
to this gathering radiant throng.

Their whirlwind song swells to a peak,
of peace and glory in highest heights.
We long to see of which they speak:
the wonder of this night of nights.

Their chorus gleams and softly fades;
the embers of our hearts now glow.
We stand in awe of what they said
and feel our veins with warm hope flow.

We see a star rise in the west:
To the birthplace of a shepherd king
we walked in peaceful silence past
the watchful stars a-twinkling.

Along the path to newborn babe
are brambles, barren bushes’ thorns
that by the light the angels made
bring forth red roses with gold adorned.

Thus from the shards of broken worlds
comes sudden hope in wings unfurled.

Lord, on this holy day in which we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, we reflect on your love and guidance for your people as the Good Shepherd. You call us each by name and your sheep know your voice and follow you. There is so much noise in this world that distracts us and pulls our attention away from you and your loving word. Lead and guide us and keep us safe from harm. When we are lost and we stray, you bring us back to be with you again. We are a community; a living body united by you. There is strength and safety in numbers. On Good Shepherd Sunday, we pray for our clergy and especially our priests that they would be good leaders, protectors, and providers for their flocks. We pray that you give them strength, courage, and wisdom to do what is necessary. We pray for their safety and peace for, without their good guidance and council, we would be lost. Thank you Lord for giving us our Shepherds and I pray that we thank and recognize them for their leadership. Help each of us look to you, Lord Jesus, as the model and example as we try to follow what it means to be Good Shepherds for those around us. In this regard, we pray also for those in positions of authority and power that you would put good influences in their lives to help them choose the best good. Jesus, you are the Shepherd of our minds, hearts, souls and lives. Thank you!

Amen

Gemini sheriff of happy town
kills all the frequent cow-catching waffle machines.
He rounds up all his cowboys
and retires all the shepherds in a cloud most curious.
Somewhere soon there will be a better thing to do
than reach for the cookie jar all life long.
Unfortunately there will come so many who also wear the star.
All them good folks are stuck in a stampeding herd of confusion.