Gospel: Luke 15:3-7
So Jesus told them this parable: “Who among you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, will not leave the ninety nine in the wilderness, and seek the lost one till he finds it? And finding it, will he not joyfully carry it home on his shoulders? Then he will call his friends and neighbors together, and say, ‘Celebrate with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’ I tell you, in the same way, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner, than over ninety nine decent people, who do not need to repent.
Reflections
“Celebrate with me, for I have found my lost sheep!”Jesus presents the predicament of God when a person cannot be found in his fold. He seeks him. He cannot afford to lose anyone. Everyone is valuable to him. Sin separates us from God.We are considered lost when we become independent from God, when we live as if he does not exist. When we consider ourselves the center of our lives, not God, we are lost, and we look for happiness in material things and not in him. Seeking guidance from the godless and those who have no spiritual values is a sign of being lost.Now when one of us sinners is found, there is so much joy. One is found when he or she returns to God. The person repents from sin and lives in God’s fold.We repent when we realize how miserable we have been without God. We repent to gain back what we have lost when we were looking for meaning at wrong places, wrong times and wrong persons.When we are found, not only God will rejoice, but also heaven, our neighbors and ourselves. Together we celebrate. We eat and drink and share the joy of being home and complete.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019
