A Meditation on a Chilly Sunday

 From the  morning's Gospel reading:

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one." - Jhn 10:22-30 ESV

This Sunday, in the Western Christian tradition, is often referred to "Good Shepherd Sunday" based on the appointed Gospel reading.  As the Parish Deacon, its my privilege to proclaim that Gospel to those gathered for the Eucharistic celebration.  I use the word "proclaim" purposely, as one doesn't read the Gospel as one might some random narrative.  This is primarily because the very power of it's word:  The power to reveal, the power to convince, the power to encourage, and even to power to either indict or convict.  It has captured the very words of God in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the one whom Saint John called the very icon of God in his gospel's prologue.