Last weekend, the Gospel reading at Mass had the theme of the good shepherd.
Gospel Jn 10:11-18
“I am the good shepherd.
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
A hired man, who is not a shepherd
and whose sheep are not his own,
sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,
and the wolf catches and scatters them.
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.
These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
This is why the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.
I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.
This command I have received from my Father.”
Some of the songs that fit with that theme that are familiar to me have been haunting my thoughts and I wanted to share them with you.
Shepherd Me, O God (Psalm 23) by Marty Haugen
I’ve adored this setting of the familiar psalm for years. I hope you enjoy it as well.
Shepherd of My Heart by Francis Patrick O’Brien
This is another setting that I have adored for years. When I went looking for it on YouTube, I could only find one choice. Personally, I find it a bit sad as the setting is lovely. (And, maybe I’ll add making my own videos of liturgical music to my rather long to do list.)
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
This particular version of the song is sung by Michael Card.
This post has been submitted for inclusion in The Christian Home Issue 61st hosted here. As the featured columnist for the Movies and Music category, you can be looking forward to weekly posts on what we are watching or music we’ve enjoyed.
Feel free to leave suggestions for me as well that are family friendly or uplifting for adults. While I have movies and some music selections in mind, I’m always on the lookout for other great choices.
