24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (“C”)
September 12, 2010
by Paul Rooney

Q. 597: Who would be attracted to a reckless Shepherd who puts his flock at risk (Luke 15:1-10) to go after one rebellious lamb?

A. 597:
One of the techniques used a lot by our evangelist (St. Luke) is to balance the stories in his gospel. He will tell a story involving a man, and then follow that with a similar story about a woman. Today provides us with a good example of that method. A shepherd (man) goes searching for a lost sheep; then a widow (woman) goes searching for a lost coin. The audience must have been dumbfounded, listening to stories from the lips of Jesus about weird and peculiar behavior that is being recognized as wonderful and praiseworthy. Everyone who heard the stories would have concluded that the shepherd and widow were a bit strange or even bizarre in their actions. Well, the purpose that Jesus had in telling these two stories [and the next one that follows, the prodigal son story] is to provide a portrait of a God whose love for us is far beyond our ability to imagine. Is this God of ours a crazy God, or what? ☺ Yes, he is crazy with love for each and every one of us! Did you notice the perseverance of the shepherd and the widow? They did not stop their search until the lost item was found. Jesus is saying, “Our God is just like that. He will never stop loving you; he will never stop seeking your return to the fold if you stray. And the moment you return to your rightful place, joy and celebration will erupt all over the place!”

Jesus has proven his love for us; he cares for us with unconditional love. If you ever doubt that fact, just look at the wounds in his hands, feet and side. Only a crazy God (read “passionate” God) would do that…crazy with love for each of us!

KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! The search by God for lost sinners consists in his constant invitation to each one of us to repent and return to the fold. No one enters the kingdom without that conversion. Jesus has paved the way for our return, showing his boundless mercy by sacrificing his very life for our sins (CCC 545).

Mary Our Queen Parish, Omaha

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