What if a work of art could speak to us like one of Jesus’ parables? In this episode, we reflect on an Indo-Portuguese carving of The Dream of the Good Shepherd through the parable of the lost sheep. As we gaze and pray, we discover how art helps us both find ourselves and lose ourselves in God.

Matthew 18:12-13

Use this guide for prayer and contemplation. Read slowly, pausing as needed for silence and reflection.

Opening

Settle into a comfortable posture. Let your shoulders drop. Release any tension you are holding.

Draw in a deep, cleansing breath.

And slowly let it out.

Reflection on Contemplative Prayer

Jesus often taught in parables—simple stories that invite us into contemplation of God and God’s dream for the world. A parable does not hand us answers. It opens the door to discovery. What if we welcomed art the same way—receiving it as a visual parable?

As you gaze, notice texture and form, and also open your spirit to God’s message for you.

Listen for God’s leading. Await revelation. We may be surprised by what we learn.

Thomas Merton said, “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

In prayer, we find ourselves in what we see—the emotions and images that speak to our own lives. And we also lose ourselves in mystery and beauty, seeing beyond ourselves into the larger human condition, and immersing ourselves in God’s presence.

Today, let an Indo-Portuguese carving—known as the Dream of the Good Shepherd—guide our prayer and open the door to discovery.

Scripture

Matthew 18:12-13 (The Inclusive Bible)

“If a shepherd has a hundred sheep and one of them has gone astray, does the shepherd not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains to go in search of the one that went astray? And if it is found, truly I tell you, the shepherd rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.”

Holy Spirit, come close as we listen and as we look. Meet us in what feels found and what feels lost, and lead us into the joy of your seeking love.

Artwork for Prayerful Reflection

The Dream of the Good Shepherd, Indo-Portuguese

Allow yourself to gaze upon the image, receiving it as a visual parable.

Notice the Christ-child as a shepherd, dozing on a mountaintop, sheep gathered around—one small lamb resting upon the shepherd’s shoulders.

See the fountain of life flowing with living water, symbolic of baptism; peacocks drinking; Mary and Joseph nearby; more sheep on the lower ledge; and, further down, Mary Magdalene resting with a cross beside her, with a lion below as lambs run from danger.

In this carving, local traditional forms hold Christian symbols—an invitation to notice how God meets us within our own place, story, and longing.

Francesco Gusella, in the Journal of Jesuit Studies notes that this kind of carving—often called a “Good Shepherd Rockery”—was widely used for devotion in the Portuguese colonies of South Asia.

Reflection Questions

As you gaze, what details draw your attention first—texture, form, faces, animals, water, height, or shadow?

Where do you sense yourself in this image—near the Shepherd, among the gathered sheep, by the water, or farther down the rockery?

Where do you feel yourself slipping into mystery here—quietly resting, letting go of control, losing yourself in beauty?

As you listen to the parable of the lost sheep, what word or phrase stays with you and asks to be carried into prayer?

In what ways is this image becoming a parable of your life right now—your tenderness, your fear, your longing to be found?

Where do you notice the broader human experience in this carving—safety and threat, rest and pursuit, innocence and harm?

What is the Holy Spirit stirring in you as you look—what kind of seeking love is Christ calling forth in your life?

Who comes to mind as “lost” or overlooked, and what compassionate presence might help them take one step toward being found?

Where in your life do you feel tempted to remain hidden, and what feels at risk if God truly finds you there?

What specific action is the Holy Spirit leading you to take this week—an act of gracious compassion, attention, or welcome—and what wisdom does Christ reveal as you consider it?

Closing

Good Shepherd, find us when we wander and hold us when we are weary. Heal what is beyond our skill, and teach us to offer gracious compassion and attention as others encounter the true Healer of all hurts. Lead us this week in your seeking love. Amen.