The lost sheep

The religious and political leaders of Israel are compared to the shepherds, and the people to the flock that they must tend. When they do not attend to their responsibilities, great harm befalls the sheep.

Jesus is presented in the Gospels as the shepherd who looks after the sheep. When he sees the vast crowd, his heart is moved with pity for them, for they are like sheep without a shepherd (cf Mk 6:34). He shepherds the people by teaching them and multiplying loaves of bread to feed them.

In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the shepherd who leaves the 99 and goes after the lost sheep, rejoicing greatly when he finds it (vv 1-7). In John, Jesus is Good Shepherd in two ways: he is willing to lay down his life for his sheep, and he knows his sheep. This knowledge involves love, which is the reason for his laying down his life for them (cf Jn 10:14-15).

Today’s shepherds are sent not just to the lost but also to the vulnerable.

Let us think of the homeless, the addicted, the indigenous people, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned, and many others.

Gospel • LUKE 15:1-10

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them he addressed this parable. “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninetynine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2019,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www. stpauls.ph.