Gospel of St Luke 15:1-10 “1.
The tax collectors and sinners, however, were all crowding round to listen to him, 2.and the Pharisees and scribes complained saying, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ 3.So he told them this parable: 4.’Which one of you with a hundred sheep, if he lost one, would fail to leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the missing one till he found it? 5.And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders 6.and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, I have found my sheep that was lost.” 7.In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repenting than over ninety-nine upright people who have no need of repentance. 8.’Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? 9.And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, I have found the drachma I lost.” 10.In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.'”
Jesus is talking to us about the lost sheep and the drachmas. Both Parables are very familiar to us. When Jesus spoke about a shepherd whose one sheep was missing he left the 99 in the wilderness and went looking for the lost one. Why he left the 99 in the wilderness is because he knows that untill I come back with my lost one they never go anywhere because they know their Masters voice. Even if we go away, from Jesus, He still remains very concerned about us. It shows His tender love and mercy towards us. When we have some misfortune, we have the tendency to give up our prayer times or even the Holy Mass. The times we go from Him, He waits for us, with open arms. We have all heard the story about the person who complained to Jesus. “When I was going through financial sufferings, I only saw two footprints on the sand but in my joyful times I saw four footprints on the sand.” Jesus told him the hard times you went through I was carrying you on my shoulders. Those foot prints you saw on the sand were mine not yours. So my friends am I always with Jesus or am I hiding from Him?
