No-one has to go hungry
May 1, 2020
Pastoral priorities identified at AEC Annual Plenary Meeting
May 4, 2020
By Kaelanne Jordan
Email: mediarelations.camsel@catholictt.org
Twitter: @kaelanne1
During the last eight weeks of the national lockdown, have we become more fearful, anxious or worried? What has this time done for us and how have we responded to God in this time of COVID-19?
Archbishop Jason Gordon posed these questions as he delivered the homily for Good Shepherd Sunday Mass at the Living Water Chapel, May 4.
If God is the Good Shepherd, then there is nothing to fear.
“And that’s a tough one. Because when we see what’s happening in wider society, when we see what’s happening in the Caribbean, when we see what’s happening in the world… there is a lot of fear going around…. And that’s why I believe this text is coming to us exactly at the right time to remind us that God is in charge and God is here. And if God is here, there is nothing I should fear,” Archbishop Gordon said.
For faithful to believe this with all their life is to believe what David believed and to come to what he came to—the shepherd of Israel.
The Archbishop asserted that citizens should spend this time of quarantine to consider what they have done to the earth, each other, and in their lifestyles that did not care for the poor and those on the fringe of society.
“…because humanity before COVID-19 was heading along a path of destruction that was so terrible. Every indication was so terrible…. There’s so many things that we just got so busy with that we forgot some of the things that were more important like time to listen to God, time to allow God to speak to your soul,” the Archbishop said.
To this end, the Archbishop posed this question to faithful: When was the last time you had a moment of silence and allowed God to speak to your soul?
He believed the only way persons can get a “sense” of the Good Shepherd is if they have communion with Him in their soul.
Archbishop Gordon observed there are many people whom God is calling, and who are not responding to that call because of fear.
“Because you know every single one of us is called by God. And if we would listen to His voice and know His voice…this whole world will be a very different place,” he said.
The overwhelming level of care and generosity over the past weeks to those in need is an incredible response to the voice of the Good Shepherd, the Archbishop said.
“That is the core of vocation,” he said, adding that everyone is called to vocation. He then invited faithful to use this time of quietness and confinement to listen to where He wants them to go.
He urged, “if you are feeling a tug in your soul to serve God in a way that is terrifying you right now don’t be terrified and run; go into Him and spend some time. And listen. And listen again and allow Him to calm your soul until you can hear that call and answer and respond.”
Because it is when we are living our vocation fully that God can use us to be Good Shepherds to all of His people and to ensure that His people are receiving the care that they need in this world, Archbishop Gordon said.
