Gospel: November 7, 2024
November 7, 2024 (Thursday)
31st Week in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 3 / (Green)
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 105: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7
Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord.
1st Reading: Philippians 3: 3-8a
Gospel: Luke 15: 1-10
Meanwhile tax collectors and sinners were seeking the company of Jesus, all of them eager to hear what he had to say. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law frowned at this, muttering, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So Jesus told them this parable:
“Who among you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, will not leave the 99 in the wilderness, and seek the lost one till he finds it? And finding it, will he not joyfully carry it home on his shoulders? Then he will call his friends and neighbors together, and say, ‘Celebrate with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’ I tell you, in the same way, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner, than over 99 decent people, who do not need to repent.
What woman, if she has 10 silver coins and loses one, will not light a lamp, and sweep the house in a thorough search, till she finds the lost coin? And finding it, she will call her friends and neighbors, and say, ‘Celebrate with me, for I have found the silver coin I lost!’ I tell you, in the same way, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.”
Reflection:
“God values everyone.”
Once we learn to carry our own cross, we might also be able to help others carry their own crosses. We are called to be the disciples of Jesus for others. In other words, if we feel that we are already found by Jesus, it is now part of our sacred duty to help find the lost. Luke 15 contains the known Lucan parabolic trilogy: the lost sheep (vv. 1-7), the lost coin (vv. 8-10) and the lost son (vv. 11-32). Today’s Gospel covers the first two parables.
Jesus told these two parables to accentuate the heaven’s rejoicing over one repentant sinner represented by the lost sheep and lost coin. These two parables teach us the lesson that with God, no one is dispensable. Every single person is important to the Lord. Hence, he would always be looking for the lost one. And when the lost is found, he would rejoice greatly.
This clearly indicates that God values everyone. As Jesus’ disciples, do we take time to reach out to those who are considered to be lost? Often, we need not go out. We only need to talk to the members of our family who are being isolated for whatever reason.
