From: Matthew 18:12-14
The Lost Sheep
[12] “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has
gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go in search of
the one that went astray? [13] And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices
over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. [14] So it is not
the will of My Father who is in Heaven that one of these little ones should
perish.”
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Commentary:
12-14. This parable clearly shows our Lord’s loving concern for sinners. It expres-
ses in human terms the joy God feels when a wayward child comes back to Him.
Seeing so many souls living away from God, Bl. John Paul II comments: “Unfor-
tunately we witness the moral pollution which is devastating humanity, disregar-
ding especially those very little ones about whom Jesus speaks.”
“What must we do? We must imitate the Good Shepherd and give ourselves
without rest for the salvation of souls. Without forgetting material charity and so-
cial justice, we must be convinced that the most sublime charity is spiritual cha-
rity, that is, the commitment for the salvation of souls. And souls are saved with
prayer and sacrifice. This is the mission of the Church!” (”Homily to the Poor
Clares of Albano,” 14 August 1979).
As the RSV points out, “other ancient authorities add verse 11, “For the Son of
Man came to save the lost” — apparently taken from Luke 19:10.
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: Violet.
| First reading |
Isaiah 40:1-11 © |
| Consolations from the heart of Jerusalem |
‘Console my people, console them’
says your God.
‘Speak to the heart of Jerusalem
and call to her
that her time of service is ended,
that her sin is atoned for,
that she has received from the hand of the Lord
double punishment for all her crimes.’
A voice cries, ‘Prepare in the wilderness
a way for the Lord.
Make a straight highway for our God
across the desert.
Let every valley be filled in,
every mountain and hill be laid low.
Let every cliff become a plain,
and the ridges a valley;
then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed
and all mankind shall see it;
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’
A voice commands, ‘Cry!’
and I answered, ‘What shall I cry?’”
– ‘All flesh is grass
and its beauty like the wild flower’s.
The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on them.
(The grass is without doubt the people.)
The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God remains for ever.’
Go up on a high mountain,
joyful messenger to Zion.
Shout with a loud voice,
joyful messenger to Jerusalem.
Shout without fear,
say to the towns of Judah,
‘Here is your God.’
Here is the Lord coming with power,
his arm subduing all things to him.
The prize of his victory is with him,
his trophies all go before him.
He is like a shepherd feeding his flock,
gathering lambs in his arms,
holding them against his breast
and leading to their rest the mother ewes.
| Responsorial Psalm |
| Psalm 95(96):1-3,10-13 © |
Here is our God coming with power.
O sing a new song to the Lord,
sing to the Lord all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name.
Proclaim his help day by day.
Here is our God coming with power.
Tell among the nations his glory
and his wonders among all the peoples.
Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’
He will judge the peoples in fairness.
Here is our God coming with power.
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad,
let the sea and all within it thunder praise,
let the land and all it bears rejoice,
all the trees of the wood shout for joy
at the presence of the Lord for he comes,
he comes to rule the earth.
Here is our God coming with power.
With justice he will rule the world,
he will judge the peoples with his truth.
Here is our God coming with power.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Come, Lord! Do not delay.
Forgive the sins of your people.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia!
The day of the Lord is near;
Look, he comes to save us.
Alleluia!
| Gospel |
| Matthew 18:12-14 © |
| The one lost sheep gives him more joy than the ninety-nine that did not stray |
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray? I tell you solemnly, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all. Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.’