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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I welcome your comfort and consolation. When I stray into sin, you send your Son to find me and bring me back. When I remain in the fold, you send your Son to care for me and nourish me. Help me overcome the temptation to stray from your holy will and strengthen my resolve to remain in your grace.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Leave the Ninety-Nine? When Jesus tells a parable, there is usually a twist in it of some sort. For example, in one of Jesus’ parables, the sower appears to be careless as he sows seed on the path, rocky ground, and among thorns, instead of only planting it carefully in good soil. In another parable, Jesus speaks about sowing mustard seed in a garden, even though it was not really something you sowed, since it produced an invasive plant. Jesus told the story of an owner of the vineyard who was recklessly generous and paid his workers who only worked an hour way too much, and the story of a king who forgave a massive debt – 10,000 talents – just because the debtor asked for mercy. These were all twists that made the parables not only memorable but also were teachings that unveiled the mystery of God’s logic and love. The twist in today’s parable is the fact that the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine sheep in the hills to go out and search for the one who went astray. A sensible shepherd would just count their loss and likely continue with the ninety-nine. One lost sheep in the grand scheme of things isn’t a big deal. There will be others to replace the lost sheep. And yet, this is not how God thinks. Each one of us is important and loved. In fact, God the Father loved each one of us so much that he sent his Son to seek us out, to assume our human nature, and bring us into the sheepfold of the Church.

2. The Good Shepherd: Jesus is the one who redeems God’s people and brings our exile to an end. He gathers the people like a Good Shepherd into the new flock of God. He feeds his flock, gathers us in his arms, carries us close to his heart, and leads us carefully. He seeks out the lost sheep and forgives the sins of those who rebelliously stray from and humbly return to the fold. God is so madly in love with us that he sent his Son to console us and bring comfort. Our hardship – our slavery to sin – is over when we embrace the yoke of Christ: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

3. The Shepherd’s Rejoicing: A small but important detail in the parable is the rejoicing of the shepherd. When the shepherd finds the lost sheep, he doesn’t scold it and make it feel miserable. He doesn’t launch into a litany of the sheep’s sins and shortcomings, and how difficult the sheep made his life. This is another twist in the parable. The shepherd rejoiced more over finding the lost sheep than over the ninety-nine that remained with the flock. The parable invites us to adopt God’s way of loving, sacrificing, searching, and rejoicing. Each of us needs to reflect deeply on how we welcome back those who have sinned. When I see sinners return to God, do I scold and persist in a judgmental attitude, or do I truly forgive and rejoice?

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, my Good Shepherd, place your yoke upon my shoulders. I know that you will help me bear it. Your grace is so powerful, and with you I can do all things.

Living the Word of God: How have I experienced divine consolation or comfort in my life? When have I been most at peace in my relationships with God and others? When someone offends me and asks for forgiveness, do I persist in a judgmental attitude or do I respond like the Good Shepherd, forgive, and rejoice?