The Gospel according to Matthew (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.”
Reflection:
Besides being Tuesday in the 2nd week of Advent, it’s also the memorial of St Juan Diego, the peasant native Aztec to whom the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared, and through his efforts (prompted by the Blessed Virgin), Christianity came to the Americas. I don’t think it’s overstating it to say that we would not be here were it not for the Virgin’s persistence in pushing St Juan Diego, and for his persistence in sharing what he was told to share!
Having been blessed to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe last November, I can say that it was an incredible experience to see those places and to hear all the amazing details in the image on St Juan Diego’s tilma. Our Lady of Guadalupe and St Juan Diego, pray for us!
Today’s Gospel on this day in Advent highlights a couple of things: first, the amazing love that God, our Creator, has for each and every one of us. We are each, individually, that lost sheep that the shepherd sought at the potential expense of the ninety-nine that did not go astray. I often share that oft-quoted scripture, John 3:16, could be translated to change wherever the words “the world” appear to have our own name individually and it would be just as true. That’s why Jesus says the shepherd would go and seek the one, ALWAYS.
The second point goes along after the first one – God can seek us all because, unlike a human shepherd, He is not constrained to be in only one place at a time. He is everywhere; He is with each of us; He sees us as if we are the only one in the world. He doesn’t have to “leave” ANYONE. He is able to consider us as the only one He is interested in (even as He has that same view of all of His children).
It’s beyond our comprehension to be sure. As we continue along the path of Advent, may we first of all be thankful that each of us truly IS the one sheep that the Lord seeks and loves. When we turn back to Him after our own weakness causes us to go astray, He DOES carry us happily on His shoulders, sharing the joy with all the angels and saints in heaven. And, may we consider these remaining days until Christmas as opportunities to try to love more like that same all-loving, all-forgiving Lord, starting with those whom God places before us.
Then, when we celebrate that wonderful historical gift of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, we will be that much closer to His Kingdom, and maybe others are closer, too, by the way we love. What a blessed Christmas gift that would be!
Action for the Day:
Take a moment today and consider how you are doing this Advent with “preparing the way of the Lord.” If you are doing well, take a moment to thank God for His guidance and for the gift of sharing in His mission on earth. If you’re struggling, take that moment and be thankful that YOU are still called to share in God’s mission on earth, and ask that God give you the special grace to get back on track, and to love more like He loves YOU.
Link to the DEACON5 website: https://deacon5.com/
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