Gospel: Mt 18:12-14
JESUS said to his disciples: “What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”
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Jesus seeks the opinion of his disciples by posing a hypothetical question whose expected answer is “Yes.” God is happy when God finds a lost member of the flock. It is not God’s will that one goes astray.
Jesus reveals God’s disposition when one is lost. God searches for the lost one day and night until God finds him. God does not give up on anyone. And finding the lost one, the sinner, causes so much joy to God.
The short passage should encourage us, sinners, to go back to God without fear or shame. We are invited to repent, to allow ourselves to be ruled by God once again. Many times, unconsciously, we think, live, or act as if God does not exist. We have no fear to hurt our brothers and sisters. We tell lies or cheat others. Without remorse of conscience, we abandon our responsibilities or become violent. We assault people with our unkind words.
In our sinfulness, God gets busy trying to get us back. When we have time to pray and reflect on the Word of God, when we have learned how to be considerate to the elderly and the poor, God has found us.
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2017” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
