Finding the Lost Sheep

  

Luke 15: 3-7

³ Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴ “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

How consoling to know that our Shepherd has such love for each one of us that he would leave  the rest of the flock to find the one who was lost. What a fitting image and Gospel for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, the symbol of Jesus infinite and tender love for us.

Years ago on the Pine Ridge Reservation , we had three sheep, all of whom found their way out of their pen and "disappeared."  Three days later, we received a call from a neighbor that he had seen one of the sheep on his land.  I had just come back from my morning run, but this news took precedence, so off I was again running to the place where the sheep had been sighted, And there he was, the lost sheep found. But not so easy to catch him and put him on my shoulders as in the parable.  No, he ran away from me and managed to keep a few steps ahead of me for an hour (at least); finally he was exhausted and just stopped.  Then, the  Parable Moment, but not all joy, since I too was exhausted.  I had him in my arms and wondered how I would have the energy to run him back home, but luckily, one of the brothers was returning home for lunch and picked us up.  Then it was pure joy and a taste of this parable. I certainly learned what effort a true shepherd would go through as well as how dumb we sheep can be with such a loving shepherd looking out for our good, while we continue to run away.  May we keep this parable in mind when we think we don't have the stamina to keep pursuing the lost sheep, or as the sheep, keep running away from the Shepherd!

Bro. Rene