‘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 do not need repentance. Lk 15:6-7
Friends, God is good, all the time.
Losing and finding things after searching for them is not rare. Sometimes, it is the simple things we can easily ignore, say a particular dress or a pair of socks you feel you must wear, or dropping a pill on the ground; these can get us frustrated when we cannot find it easily. We sign of relief and joy greet us the moment we lay hands on it after spending time searching.
The content of the two simple parables about the shepherd looking for his lost sheep and a woman sweeping to find her lost coin resonate with us so much that we risk missing the essential details and beauty embedded in it. We have all lost and found stuff before. But take a moment to think about message Jesus is conveying to us.
In its most delicate details, it tells us about God's love and mercy for each of us. God cares for each of us with detailed concern. He spends time and pays attention to all the details of our lives. He is there to help us and give us reasons to rejoice. This is how much god values your life and your existence. He perceives all our actions and thoughts in magnificent details. He is excited when we are aware of his presence in us and incline our thoughts and actions towards that. And when we are going astray, he is saddened by it and sets in motion the effort to get us back on track.
Shepherds don't only look for missing sheep; they also protect them from loss. It is the same with our lives. Jesus says that when one person repents, there is joy in heaven. Don’t just think about the repentance that follows heavy mortal sin. Sometimes, just changing our minds on some negative decisions or thoughts, deciding to let go of hurts, talk to someone again, or stop with some negative habits are what become glimpses of joy in heaven and in our lives. Jesus wants us to understand that it doesn't take some mounting tasks or extraordinary conversion to please God.
Prayer blessings: Today let us remember to pray The Angelus- The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary... Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word. Hail Mary... And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.Hail Mary... Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.