Sheep and goats

 So we come to the end of our liturgical year. Christ the King is celebrated this day which marks the end of the year and a need to reflect for ourselves on the coming year. For us this is almost like New Year's eve, a time for reflection and resolution. The descriptions in the parable that is told by Christ is fairly straightforward but who wants to be known as a goat or a sheep (Matt. 25:31-46). Perhaps, in some ancient world this is a fitting reflection but it seems to cast a negative light on goats, which are just as intelligent as sheep at times. Perhaps, the real reason for the comparison is the rapacious appetite of goats compared to sheep as they can and do cause desertification, if not managed. However, it is all very well using the analogy but what does this look like in real life, how can we discern the difference in attitude?

It is often easy to see the difference between those that do not do and those that do but it is sometimes hard to see those that are adept at seemingly doing and those that actually do. This is the aim of the parable, it is not the obvious ones that do not do but the less obvious ones that seemingly do. The Kellock triptych at Kempsey is a marvel of emotional figuration, if you compare the two side panels you will come to understand the difference between the sheep and the goats. It is a subtle attitudinal change in people. This is what we need to really understand about our own attitudes as we move forward into a New year for the Christian tradition and in our lead up towards the incarnation. In attempting to emulate Christ's presence within our lives we fall into a pattern of doing what we believe God wants without any heart or soul. In other words what we do may appear to have the touch of Christ but in our hearts we are doing the work for ourselves. It is so that we can stand up in the congregation of the faithful and gain the kudos of their blessings rather than the kudos of Christ's blessings. This is at core the difference between the sheep and the goats.

Kellock tryptich side panels from Kempsey

The description from Ezekiel (Ezekiel 34:20-22) is even more graphic and opens our eyes to behaviour patterns, which we need to account for and displace. The need for, not only, attention but a degree of power over others to attain what appears to be greatness or influence over others is prominent amongst humanity. This causes a lot of grief and anguish in communities when this sort of behaviour comes to light. Yet, it is the behaviour which is seen as the norm of society in today's world. A world that states that the I is prominent and no one else matters. This can be seen in general when people are asked, for example, to mask for the good of the general population, many do but you can see a prominent few that go against all advice. When you ask them the question "Why?" the response is always an opinion that involves their own egos or their own wishes rather than a consideration of those around them. The world has encouraged, or rather societies around the globe, have encouraged this self filled attitude of shoving those that are weaker than you to the side-lines. We can see it in all manner of situations from politics to our own agendas within churches and denominations.

In coming to this celebration at the end of our liturgical year we come to a time when we celebrate the understanding of Christ the King or the Reign of Christ, to be politically correct, in our hearts and in the world. The issue for us is that if Christ does not reign in our hearts we do not see Christ's reign in the world. It is our attitudes that need reform more than anything else prior to being able to truly celebrate. Today, we must reaffirm our commitment to Christ's reign and we do that by putting the other first within our hearts. For if we love our neighbours in the same way we love ourselves then the selfish behaviours are let go as we move with compassion and love to ensure that Christ reigns within us. Today, we reflect on our past year and ask ourselves have we been sheep or goats? As we ask this question we then begin again to start our journey towards the incarnation and the reality of the cross in our own lives. We seek to be the shepherds God calls for and allow Christ to reign once more in our hearts.