Jesus reveals God’s tireless pursuit of lost souls in the Parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by building the Virtue of Faith so he can be be reunited with the Church and by growing in the Virtue of Piety so he can honor and seek the intercession of the Angels and Saints.
Liturgy
31st Week in Ordinary time – Thursday – Lk 15:1-10
Commentary
After teaching about the tough realities of the Judgment, Jesus reveals the overflowing Divine Mercy of God, Who goes to great lengths to find souls lost in sin and lavishly welcomes, forgives, and blesses the repentant.
As the Pharisees and the scribes mutter among themselves that Jesus is coddling sinners, Jesus begins with The Parable of the Lost Sheep, a marvelous parable which surely captured the attention, delight and surprise of the people, many of whom lived close to flocks of sheep. God (a man) has many souls (a flock of 100), for which He cares. When a single soul goes astray (one lost sheep), God goes to great lengths (leaves the 99), to save the lost soul (find the lost sheep). Jesus asks, “What man…would not leave the 99 in the wilderness…? The answer is no rational man would put his large flock of sheep at risk of being ravaged by wolves, to save a single sheep. But God is not like man; God does search for every soul lost in sin, and there is great rejoicing by all the saints and angels in Heaven, when a man repents and turns to Jesus to be saved.
Similarly, The Parable of the Lost Coin describes God’s fervent desire to save lost souls. God (the woman) works diligently (lights a lamp, sweeps the floor) until the lost soul (the coin) is recovered. God calls the angels of Heaven together (woman calls her neighbors) to celebrate the salvation of every lost soul who repents from sin. As long as a man remains alive on earth, God will never stop seeking to call that man who is lost in sin, to repent.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Joyously consider Jesus’ revelation of His Mercy: the perfection of Charity, in the Incarnation, Jesus exhibits that He is Divine Mercy (Compassion for the suffering of another) in all He says and does; the perfection of Diligence (a part of Justice), Jesus tirelessly works and will die to save the lives of men, giving men a rational basis for Hope; the perfection of Justice, Jesus reveals that men must repent from sin to receive the Mercy He is so willing to offer, and that He is filled with Joy when men repent and accept His Mercy.
Reignite faith and be reconciled with the Church
Realize: Despite the depth and duration of a man’s sin, as he wanders away and becomes estranged from the Holy Catholic Church, Jesus relentlessly calls and joyfully welcomes all men who repent from sin and return to Him.
Believe: Reflect upon the need to Reconcile with Christ’s Holy Catholic Church (CCC 1443-1445).
Pray: Jesus, Divine Mercy, help me to grow in the Virtue of Faith so I believe in Your goodness and power to forgive my every sin and I can be reunited with You and Your Holy Catholic Church through the Sacrament of Penance.
Honor and seek the intercession of the Saints
Realize: Men, lost in sin in the world, often live in the moment, blind to the eternal realities. Contemplate the truth that God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, all the saints and angels, are rooting for you personally to be drawn out of sin into holiness so that you can join God and them in Heaven.
Believe: Reflect upon the Intercession of the Saints (CCC 956, 1434, 2683, 2692).
Pray: Jesus, King of Saints, help me build the Virtue of Piety (a part of Justice) so I always thank You for all the saints who are praying for me at this, and every moment, of my life.