Luke 15:3-7

Ezekiel 34:11-16

Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

Romans 5:5b-11

Luke 15:3-7

Jesus addressed this parable to the Pharisees and scribes:

“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them

would not leave the ninety-nine 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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, search for me when I stray, find me when I am lost, heal me when I am sick, bring me home when I have abandoned you. Help me rejoice when my brothers and sisters are brought back and enjoy communion with you once again.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Promise of a Shepherd in Ezekiel: When we meditate on today’s First Reading, we should recall that Ezekiel was called in the sixth century B.C. to prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. The reference to shepherds is likely a reference to the kings and other leaders of Israel and Judah. They were not caring for the flock in their charge.  The crucial point of Ezekiel’s prophecy and also of Jeremiah’s prophecy (Jeremiah 23:3) is that the Lord is taking the initiative: “he will come and act to save his people because they are his sheep and are in great need. The truth is that God has determined to act, and he solemnly promises that he will restore his people to their land, where they will experience both peace and abundance. The intense heart of the Lord for his people is revealed in this ardent declaration that he will come and deliver them. We can only imagine the comfort and consolation these words brought to a defeated people living hundreds of miles from home and suffering a seemingly irreversible misfortune” (Keating, Ezekiel, 238).

2. The Good Shepherd who Loves Us: Turning to the Gospel, it is good to remember that when Jesus tells a parable, there is usually a twist that is out of the ordinary. The sower in Matthew and Mark, for example, is careless as they sow seed on the path, among thorns, and on rocky ground. The householder in Luke is overly generous with the laborers who only worked an hour. The vineyard owner in Matthew foolishly sends his son after the tenants just killed some of his servants. In today’s Gospel, in the parable of the lost sheep, we can ask: “Would a sensible shepherd leave the other ninety-nine sheep in the desert to go and find the lost one?” We could understand leaving the sheep in a protected area, but it seems foolish to leave the ninety-nine for the sake of the one. A sensible shepherd would say to themselves, “Well, too bad. I lost one. At least I have ninety-nine more.” But that is not how God thinks about us. We are created in God’s image and likeness. We are loved individually by name. And the Son of God loves us with a divine and human sacred heart. What could seem foolish to us is actually a deep revelation about the generosity, abandon, and self-sacrificing nature of God’s love.

3. Reconciled to God and Saved by the Shepherd: The First Reading promises that God will shepherd his people. The Gospel sees the fulfillment of that promise in Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd, who seeks us out when we stray. The Second Reading, from Paul’s Letter to the Romans, speaks about the love of God that has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us, justifying us by shedding his blood, reconciling us to the Father through his death, and saving us by his life. Paul promises that we will be saved through Christ “from the wrath,” which means the day of final judgment. This is “when the Lord will reveal the full measure of his justice. To be saved from this is to be rescued from final condemnation. By saying that believers will be saved by his life, Paul specifies that salvation is a participation in the risen life of the Messiah” (Hahn and Mitch, Romans, 79)

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, sanctify my heart so that I may love you with an undivided love, cleanse my heart so that I may have a worthy dwelling for you, purify my heart so that I may love my brothers and sisters as I should.

Living the Word of God: How can I take refuge in the Sacred Heart of my Good Shepherd today? How can I be a Good Shepherd to my family, friends, and coworkers today? What areas of my heart need to be sanctified?