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.”
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Reflection:
What is your
attitude toward the so-called sinners of our society? For example, if you have
a brother and you perceive him to be a sinner, how would you treat him? Should
you simply ignore him? Or you would build bridge to seek him out and let him
know that the love of Jesus knows no bounds. That the love of Jesus upon him is
not diminished by the sins that he has committed.
There are
many of us who give up on the lost or sinners and we cannot blame ourselves for
this because this is basic human nature. For example if you have a spouse who
is a serial womanizer and you have forgiven him for so many times and yet
he does not change his ways. What is your natural reaction to this kind of
attitude? Isn’t that your natural reaction is to raise your hands in surrender
and give up on that unrepentant spouse?
If we give up
with sinners, Jesus doesn’t give up He will continuously seek out the lost or
sinners until He finds them. And when Jesus finds them, He will do everything
(without questions asked!) to let this sinner feel His infinite love and
forgiveness.
The parable
of the lost sheep and the lost coin is a showcase of the infinite love of Jesus
for us. We who are all sinners, we who continue to struggle with sin. There’s
hope after all for all of us sinners. And this hope is brought to us by the
infinite love and mercy of Jesus. - Marino J. Dasmarinas
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