I hope that you are surviving the rigours of Lent! As a youngster I disliked Lent! For many perhaps it is a negative time – the reflection on sin, the Passion, guilt. Yet Lent means ‘Spring’, new life. How does this square up?

In this evening’s Gospel Jesus declares that he is the Good Shepherd who loves so much he will die for us. This must always be our starting point – God’s boundless love and mercy for the sinner. Jesus makes a comparison between himself and the hireling. The hireling is in it for himself. However, we are to be like Jesus. Lent prepares us to celebrate the Paschal Mystery. The Latin word Paschal comes from the Hebrew word Pescah meaning Passover and refers to the Hebrews, through God’s actions, passing from slavery to the Promised Land. In the Paschal Mystery Jesus, through his Passion, death and Resurrection not only passed from death to Eternal Glory but has made it possible for us to follow him too. During these weeks of Lent and then intensely during Holy Week and the Easter Triduum we are not be merely remembering what Jesus did but to imitate it in our own lives, to daily die to sin so as to rise to new life. Therefore, we are to reject the hireling within us and learn to love the flock like Christ, willing to sacrifice ourselves for others after the example of Christ.

In our Second Reading St Paul spoke of being overwhelmed by God’s sacrificial love - that his dying brought us life. Paul insists we are no longer to live for ourselves but for Christ. This entry into the Paschal Mystery, this dying to sin and selfishness in order to rise to a new life means that we become a new creation. We have been transformed and it is through God’s grace.

Furthermore, astonishingly Christ desires that the quality of relationship Him and with us is to be the same as exists within the Trinity! The Trinity is love: Father-Son-Holy Spirit and we are to be drawn into life of the Trinity. We do this by a life of prayer and of loving service of God and others, total self-giving, our whole lives, even to death.

Tonight we give thanks for Fr Fraser’s ministry of 50 years. As his bishop I gladly acknowledge that he has striven to enter into the Paschal Mystery personally and has endeavoured to help others follow.

Fr Fraser was born in 1944 in Bellsmains and began his Christian Pilgrimage after his baptism in St David’s, Dalkeith. After attending St Columba’s Primary School and Oban High School for one year he felt the call of God as a youth and went to Minor Seminary St Mary’s College, Blairs and then Senior Seminary at St Andrew’s College, Drygrange. Since his Ordination in St Columba’s Cathedral, Oban on 10^th April 1969, Fr Fraser has served the People of God in Rothesay, Fort William, Moidart, Fort William, (sick leave), Glencoe, Barra, Lochgilphead and then Taynuilt. In these places he strove to be a true shepherd and not a hireling.

He also served the diocese as a member of the Chapter of Canons, College of Consultors and as Vocations Director.

The concept of vocation is beautiful and mysterious and frightening! Jeremiah has an amazing insight! Even before our birth, from all eternity God already knew us and had plans for how he would use us. He created us in such a way to fulfil his loving will. This year, Fr Billy, you celebrated your 75^th birthday but long, long before this God had already chosen you to be his priest and to minister to the people of the West Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Thank you for saying Yes and fulfilling your vocation so faithfully.

Of course, what God asks of us often seems daunting, beyond us. “Don’t be afraid! I am with you. Spend time with me and I’ll empower you, teach you what to say and do”. Jeremiah personally experienced this.

Billy, it is obvious that you are a man of prayer. However, an important part of your ministry has been devoted to helping people to pray- parish, retreats, youth, charismatics, New Dawn, Craig Lodge - to open to God’s healing, love, challenges.

One final thought. St Paul declared that he was an ambassador for Christ. Jesus had come into the world to bring us reconciliation with God and Paul was now making this truth a reality in people’s lives. Healing has been an important element of your spirituality and you have helped countless people to be reconciled with God, others and themselves.

Billy, for all this and much more we give thanks to God and to you!