Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
During my twenty-two years (1981-2003) in Yellowknife I had the opportunity to engage in prison ministry at the Yellowknife Correctional Facility. As part of the Catholic parish’s outreach, I partnered with fellow parishioners to conduct weekly worship services in the local men’s unit.
My ministry among these small groups of inmates began when invited by one of the parishioners engaged in this ministry to accompany her to share the “Readers Digest version” of the reflection I had given at the weekend masses. At that time, I was one of the parishioners mandated by Bishop Croteau to break Open the Word for the congregation, since as is frequently the case in the North, we were for a period without a parish priest. My yes to this woman’s invitation began a whole new fulfilling ministry for me.
The reading above sparks my memory of my efforts to connect the words of scripture passages to the life experience of the northern men I was among.
On one particular occasion in thinking ahead to my next visit to the jail where the reading would focus on Jesus as shepherd, I questioned myself on what approach to take. Even though, Professor Google informs me that sheep are a traditional image mentioned in the Bible more than 500 times. I knew sheep and their habits were unfamiliar to Northerners.
Image: Unsplash/Simon Smith
It struck me that it would be more meaningful to the men to link Jesus’ message as Shepherd to an invite to share their knowledge and experience on the relationship between a musher and his sled dogs. Skis, snowshoes, and sleds dogs were the modes of transportation in the North for centuries before the invention of snowmobiles in the 20th century.
During our reflection time the message of the scripture came alive.
The men easily shared about the bond which develops between a musher and his dogs. They mentioned how the musher names, knows, and understands each of his individual dogs. The dogs are attuned to his voice and take his lead. The dogs are responsive to the guidance of his calls of “mush” “gee” or “haw”. That is: Let’s go! Turn right. Turn left.
Though we are neither sheep nor sleds dogs however we too are called upon to hear God’s voice and follow where we are led.
-Sister Nancy Wales, csj
Header Image: Unsplash/Tanner Yould