Read Online
“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.’” Luke 15:4–6
Some of the great saints point out that the number one hundred
represents perfection. One hundred refers to the perfection of the
Kingdom of God, which represents not only all of the saints in
Heaven but also the angels. The one lost sheep represents all of
humanity as we make our way through this life. Jesus, of course, is
the Shepherd Whose attention turns to fallen humanity on a diligent
search for us so as to carry us home.
First, notice that the Shepherd does not search for the one stray
sheep out of anger but out of concern and love. Understanding this
is essential if we are to have a correct understanding of how our
Lord sees us when we stray. We must see His deep concern, His
diligence in searching, and His unwavering commitment to find us in
our straying condition. This is not a God Who sits back in judgment
and anger but a God Who came to us, took on our fallen human
nature, and endured all suffering so as to find us and bring us
home.
Notice also that in this parable, the Shepherd places the lost
sheep on His shoulders and carries the sheep home. Oftentimes we
can fall into the trap of thinking that we must make our way back
to God by our own effort. But the truth is that God is always
there, waiting to pick us up and carry us home. Our duty is to
surrender to His merciful hands and to stop running. This is done
by turning to Him and allowing Him to come to us and minister to
us. The primary effort is on the part of our Lord once we surrender
ourselves into His gentle Hands.
Finally, notice that the rejoicing mentioned in this parable is on
the part of the Shepherd. Of course we also will rejoice at being
picked up and carried home to the perfection of God’s Kingdom, but
our rejoicing is done in response to the joy of our Lord. It is His
joy we are invited to share in. It is His heart that is filled with
gratitude as we allow Him to tenderly carry us home. “Rejoice with
me because I have found my lost sheep,” He says.
Reflect, today, upon this holy image of the Good Shepherd. As you
ponder this parable and imagery, be attentive to the various
thoughts, memories, emotions and fears that are evoked within you.
Each one of us is different, and our Lord deeply desires to come to
each one of us right where we are, in the midst of our sins.
Pondering the compassion of this Good Shepherd will open the door
for our Lord to speak to you and to invite you personally to come
to Him, turning away from the ways that you personally have
strayed. Do not run away. Remain in confidence as He comes to you.
Listen to His voice and say “Yes” to Him as He lifts you up to
carry you home.
My gentle Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd. You love me and
search for me with diligence and fidelity. May I trust You enough
to stop running from You and hiding from Your gentle voice. Please
come to me, pick me up, place me on Your shoulders and carry me
home. Jesus, I trust in You.
Image via Pixabay
Source of content:
catholic-daily-reflections.com
Copyright 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved.
Used with permission via RSS feed.
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.