Daily Reflection – 12/12/2023
Sacred Scripture
Jesus said to his disciples: “What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.” (Matthew 18:12-14)
Reflection
These two verses from Matthew are replete with meaning. We are reminded through the Parable of the Lost Sheep how important each one of us is to our heavenly Father. We are created in His image and loved by Him. When we stray from Him, He is still there waiting to welcome us back to His love. And our heavenly Father, like the shepherd in the parable, rejoices when his lost sheep are found. There are no reparations to be paid, no repercussions to suffer. We are held in a joyful embrace. Our God is indeed one worthy of worship and praise.
In today’s world, during this season of Advent, we need to be reminded of that and to hold on to that. We need to remember how precious we are to Him. No matter our stature in life, our age, our ethnicity, our “standing” on the ladder of materiality success – none of this matter to Him. What matters to Him is our love relationship with Him.
Isn’t that the content of our faith . . .. being in a relationship with God Because of our awareness of who God is, we don’t realize the intimacy of that relationship. Today’s scripture reminds us of that. Jesus speaks clearly. “In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.” Our father will never cease searching for us. Our father rejoices when we turn to Him. Our Father will always be there for us. Never should we ever feel that we walk alone.
Advent is truly a time of reflection and a time for preparation. Can you hold on to the belief that you are important to Him? Can you stop and reflect on the enormity of His love for you? Can you believe that YOU are important to Him? You should because you are.
Today, take some time to quietly reflect on His love. Unburden yourself of any events or people who are weighing on you. Ask Him to help you through a tragedy or an illness or the loss of a loved one. Thank Him for his blessings in Life. Ask Him to help you build a stronger relationship with Him. Resolve to let him be actively present in your everyday living.
Could there be any better way to prepare for Christmas than to open the doors of our hearts? Christ is there, knocking, asking to be allowed inside so he can heal us and make us whole again. It’s almost shocking to discover that we can please him simply by turning to him and letting him pick us up from where we’ve fallen and restore us to full friendship with him. Shouldn’t we permit Our Lord that pleasure, especially when the only cost is admitting our tremendous need for him, confessing our misgivings and asking Him to remain in our hearts.
Prayer of The Day
“Holy God, I am intensely aware and deeply awed that you came to find me, one of your lost children. Give me your heart for those who are lost, too. This week, lead me to one you want back in your family and please give me the eyes to see that person when you place him or her in my path. Please give me the courage and conviction to act in ways that gently bring that lost person home. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
Daily Note
As we go through the rest of this Advent season, where do we recognize God searching for us? In what ways are we being called to invite others to know God’s love and peace?
