Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 15, 1-10
The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So Jesus addressed this parable to them.
“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.
“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’
In just the same way, I tell you,
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents.”
God’s mercy
1. Jesus, the good shepherd. Jesus actively seeks out the lost sheep, and as Christians, we’re called to reach out and listen to those who are weary and burdened. We can’t be a church that is exclusive or looks down on others—a church that only welcomes a select few. Instead, we must go out to find those who are struggling, not sit back and focus only on those already present, tending only to their needs. There are many who are hurting, weary, and burdened by sin, and it’s our duty to reveal to them the merciful love of Jesus. So, today, I encourage you to remember that you are the Church, and there are still many outside who need to encounter Jesus’s mercy. We’re called to look at them with compassion and affection, not with judgment. God draws near to each one of us, looking upon us with love and inviting us to repentance—not with condemnation or rejection. Today, le’s strive to be a Church with open doors, a Church that seeks out those who are lost. This is the message in today’s Gospel: the shepherd ventures out to find the lost sheep. We too must search for those who are wounded and hurting, rather than remaining focused only on those who have already found safety within the flock.
2. Seek out others. Find ways to reveal Jesus’s presence in their lives. Through his mercy, the Lord wants you to know that you’re precious to him. The greatest gift is to realize you’re loved by God—this knowledge brings forgiveness, and forgiveness fills you with love for God and for life itself. When you help others experience Jesus’s love, you become a missionary. Therefore, the spirit of mission in your life is rooted in reflecting on God’s mercy. May the Lord guide you to be merciful and, above all, humble.
Never forget that something good is on the way!
God bless you, be with you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
