This morning I had to take my father-in-law to the airport for a 6am book-in. It was a beautiful Spring morning and I thought, "I could go and say my morning prayers in the countryside. Why not?"
So I drove to nearby village of Meriden - said to be the exact centre of England - where I followed a track a short distance to find a low wall in a quiet field. To my surprise I was surrounded by sheep with their lambs. The sheep were very wary of me, and my prayers were accompanied by a cacophony of bleating. What a perfect accompaniment for today's gospel - the story of Jesus being "the gate to the sheepfold".
Three hours later, after proclaiming today's gospel, here's what I had to say to the little flock of 23 people who had come to church......
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