It is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost

Gospel of the Day (Matthew 18:1-5.10.12-14)

At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

He called a child over, placed it in their midst,

and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.

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.

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Reflections:

"It is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost"

Come, Lord Jesus, seek your servant; seek your weary sheep; come, my shepherd... While you are lingering on the mountainside, see how your sheep is straying. Leave the ninety-nine that are yours, then, and come to seek out the one that has strayed away. Come, without finding others to help you, without heralding yourself: it is you I am waiting for. Don't take up your stick; take up your love. Come with the sweetness of your Spirit. Don't hesitate to leave behind on the mountainside the ninety-nine sheep that are yours; on the heights where you have set them, wolves cannot reach... Come to me who have strayed so far from the flocks up above, for that was where you had set me also until the night-wolves caused me to abandon your sheepfolds.

Seek me, Lord, since my prayer seeks thee. Seek me, find me, take me up, carry me! He whom you seek you can find; he whom you find, stoop down to take up; and he whom you take up, place on your shoulders. Your love's burden costs you nothing and you untiringly make yourself the toll-collector of justice. Come, then, Lord, for though it be true that I stray, yet «I have not forgotten your word,» (Ps 119[118],16) and I live in hope of cure. Come, Lord, you are the only one still able to call back your lost sheep and you will do no harm to those others you leave behind; they, too, will be happy to see the return of the sinner. Come! There will be salvation on earth and rejoicing in heaven (Lk 15,7).

Do not send your lesser servants; send no mercenaries: come yourself to seek your sheep. Raise me up in that same flesh that fell with Adam. By that action acknowledge in me, not the child of Eve but the son of Mary, virgin most pure, virgin by grace, without slightest taint of sin. Then hold me even on your cross, salvation of those who stray, only rest for the wearied, the one way for those who die.

Source: Daily Gospel