THE LOST SHEEP

“It is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.” – Matthew 18:14

Rene Vargas, a drug addict who wouldn’t admit it, would sing Basil Valdez’s song “Lift Up Your Hands” in beerhouses. But one day, while he was undergoing drug rehab, he heard the same song. It was as if the Lord Himself was singing to him, “Cast your burdens upon Me those who are heavily laden … come to me and I will give you rest.”

       At that moment, Rene’s rock-solid heart softened. Who was this Stranger inviting him to cast his addiction upon Him? Then Rene felt God’s warm embrace and heard a whisper, “That’s enough, son. I’ll take care of you.” Overflowing tears melted the scales in his eyes and Rene began to see things clearly. He was at peace.

       This amazing testimony of my humble mentor in the Extraordinary Ministry of the Holy Communion deepened my respect for him and intensified my conviction that there is a God. Rene is a living testimony of how God searched for His lost sheep.

       There is no sin so big that our God cannot forgive and there is no lost child that God will never find. Leo Villarico (leovrico@yahoo.com)

Reflection: In this season of Advent, bring to the Lord your burdens that drive you away from Him.

This text is the beginning of the Book of Consolation of Isaiah where he seeks to stir up the spirits of the Israelites suffering under exile from their homeland. Such a task is virtually impossible without faith and trust in God. The same is true for our earthly pilgrimage. In reality, we are all exiles from our heavenly homeland. It is faith that will lead us back to God. Let us persevere through the difficulties in order to embrace the reward of eternal life that awaits us at the end of the road.

1 Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; indeed, she has received from the hand of the Lord double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! 4 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. 5 Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all mankind shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. 6 A voice says, “Cry out!” I answer, “What shall I cry out?” “All flesh is grass, and all their glory like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower wilts, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it. So then, the people is the grass. 8 Though the grass withers and the flower wilts, the word of our God stands forever.” 9 Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! 10 Here comes with power the Lord God, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. 11 Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.

1 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all you lands. 2 Sing to the Lord; bless his name; announce his salvation, day after day. (R) 3 Tell his glory among the nations; among all peoples, his wondrous deeds. 10 Say among the nations: the Lord is king; he governs the peoples with equity. (R) 11 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; 12 let the plains be joyful and all that is in them! Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice. (R) They shall exult 13 before the Lord, for he comes; for he comes to rule the earth. He shall rule the world with justice and the peoples with his constancy. (R)

This is the heart of a Good Shepherd — He is always thinking of how He can help those who need it the most. All leaders ought to burn this short parable into their hearts and minds and pray that they will always be faithful to its message. This is one of the most important measures of a good leader — that they will not allow anyone to be left behind or left out. Let us pray for our leaders, that they may truly be such inspirations for us.

12 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? 13 And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. 14 In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”

think:  It is faith that will lead us back to God.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Proverbs 24-27

WHAT SHALL I CRY OUT?

We live in pluralistic times. In these complex times, the virtue of charity has assumed another name — tolerance. In the name of tolerance, it has become politically incorrect to speak about certain “controversial” topics. The point has come when the word “controversial” has become equated with “verboten,” meaning forbidden. Anyone who ventures out and speaks the hard truth is turned into an instant pariah, and declared as uncharitable, categorical, intolerant, chauvinistic, and other unsavory titles.

       Tell all that to a prophet who minces no words, pulls no stops, and applies no brakes when speaking about compelling issues!

       But wait! Tell all that, too, to a people hungry for good news, a people who need very badly to hear something, for not to hear anything about their plight appears to be the suffering of the worst kind any people can ever go through.

       Today, Isaiah does precisely that. He speaks with a sense of urgency! Today, we are that people. Isaiah talks to a people who could very well use much of what he had to say. He talks to a people in dire thirst, longing for words to comfort a hurting soul.

       We are a people very much in exile like the Israelites were. We are banished from a world of freedom to a prison of tolerance and so-called “political correctness.” We are not free to speak our minds against irreverent singers and entertainers, but, in the same vein, are almost compelled by the current culture to allow them to sing of their love and allegiance to Judas Iscariot. We are in bitter exile, unable to talk against so-called artists who dabble at not just irreverent, but patently anti-Christ works of self-expression that are made to pass as art.

       Isaiah today would not be bullied into silence. For his word is not his, but God’s. We are a people born of the Word! We are asked to cry out in God’s name! Isaiah did his part. What about me? What shall I cry out? Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Do you speak up boldly for God and for the truth when needed? If not, ask for the grace and courage to do so. God needs prophets like you!

Lord, help me to stand for Your truth and speak out against what is evil and unjust.