Gospel Mt 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.”
The parable of the Shepherd leaving the 99 in search of the one lost sheep is a beloved image… but that question Jesus asks at the outset kind of leaps out a bit: What is your opinion?
He doesn’t need that opinion for himself.
And He’s not curious to receive feedback about His shepherding skills, or His business sense.
He’s interested in… what He’s always interested in – is us. What does this do in our hearts and minds?
When we hear this parable can we let
the profound,
relentless,
unwavering,
unequivocal,
reckless love God has for us…
That He has never, and will never stop
desiring,
seeking,
searching for us…
wanting us to be His and with Him always
to embrace us?
to let us be found?
to let us be his beloved sheep who will never stray from Him again?
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