The lost and found sheep.

"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? (Matthew 18: 12).

Tuesday of the 2nd week of Advent. The Lord puts before us the parable of the Lost and Found Sheep. How do you feel when you lose or misplace something valuable? I do not consider myself a miser. I confess that I embarrass myself how diligently I search for something until I find it. Or I am forced to stop searching because the search has become absurd and ridiculous.

Once upon a time, I prepared for weeks to teach Young Adults Confirmation class, a 7 weeks course. I walked into the classroom on the first night and found just one sheep. Just one sheep? To make a long story short, I declined to go ahead with the course. The Lord came after me quickly. First, He sent the young man's mother to confront me the following Sunday. "I worked so hard to convince my son to register for the course with the hope that the course and the Confirmation Sacrament would lead him back to the Church."

The very next Sunday, we had the Parable of the Lost Sheep as the Gospel. At the end of the Mass, I have got more than enough lesson and rebuke for my misdeed.

"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." (Matthew 18: 13 - 14).

"Paris is worth a Mass," so the saying goes. If bringing home one lost sheep causes rejoicing in Heaven, God forbid that I will deny Heaven such a joy!

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com