Page 18 - May 2017 Thoroughbred Highlight

The 23rd Psalm
Early in my ministry at
Woodbine, I needed to nd
a funeral home for a worker
who passed away. Truth
be told, a race track community this big is going to suffer a few deaths every year, especially with such an aging population. I was fortunate to nd a funeral home that was both close and caring- Newediuk Funeral Home. Their Kipling location is only a few minutes east of Woodbine so proximity was perfect and their staff has what I think is a ministry all their own. They are a wonderful, caring group.
I write this because there are times that Newediuk has clients that are in need of a Chaplain to of ciate a funeral or memorial and if I am able, I’m happy to do it for them. I try to connect with the clients beforehand and follow up afterward- I don’t consider myself a “Chaplain for Hire”. I take what Newediuk does and what I do in God’s name seriously. One thing that has struck me over the 13 years of our Chaplaincy is that regardless of belief, the overwhelming request for a funeral or memorial, (including atheists!), is the 23rd Psalm, also known as “The Lord is My Shepherd”- that and Amazing Grace. This Psalm brings comfort like no other- and people prefer the older King James Version as opposed to updated styles in newer modern bibles. Perhaps race track folk prefer it as well, because they can relate to the profession of shepherding. The shepherd was in absolute care
of the ock- usually they worked for someone who owned the sheep, so they would be considered today’s modern trainer. Now trainers are as paranoid a group there is because Murphy’s Law applies to all they do: many times they will almost expect a young horse getting ready for a race to begin coughing and get sick necessitating a scratch. How often I have seen a trainer poke their head out of their of ce upon hearing a cough and saying “Who was that?” The care they have for their ock is second to none- well, perhaps second to a shepherd.
When the sheep would come in for the night, the
Race Track Chaplaincy of Canada
Chapel Services every Tuesday
throughout the racing season
shepherd would count them all. Should one be missing, the shepherd would frantically search for the lost sheep, until he found it, since a
lone sheep was easy prey for predators, even other unscrupulous shepherds! Jesus compared Himself to the Good Shepherd, who cares for His ock even unto death (John 10:11). The 23rd Psalm takes the reader on a journey:
From life:
1 - The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 - He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he
leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 - He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths
of righteousness for his name’s sake.
To near-death:
4 - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 - Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
To everlasting life:
6 - Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
No one likes to think of trauma or death, especially when it comes within our horseracing community. The good news is that there are shepherds in our racing mix and a Good Shepherd who cares for His ock as well. Care doesn’t always mean removing the danger from an individual: the trainer lets their young horse get good and sick so they build up immunity and the Good Shepherd encourages the ock to reach to Him for comfort and aid in spite of the calamity. As one writer put it:
Sometimes God calms the storm and sometimes God lets the storm rage and calms the child.
Thus the 23rd Psalm brings calm to us in life’s every situation.
Chaplain Shawn Kennedy
905-713-4783 chaplainshawn@hotmail.com www.rtccanada.com www.facebook.com/woodbinechaplaincy Twitter: chaplainshawn@rtccanada
Thoroughbred Highlight - Page 18 - May 2017