Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C
September 11, 2016
Gospel: Lk 15:1-10
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to
listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees (1) and scribes (2) began to complain,
saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them he addressed
this parable. “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until
he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great
joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and
says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you,
in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (3)
than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would
not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? And
when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to
them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ In just the
same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one
sinner who repents.”
http://www.usccb.org
The difficult words
(1)The Pharisees are Jews who try to remain faithful to Moses' law,
even in the smallest acts of daily life. Jesus criticizes them for too severely
judging those who don't live like they do.
(2)The scribes are Jewish religious scholars.They know the Scriptures
well and are often at the Pharisees' sides.
(3)We repent when we feel regret or sorrow about something that we have
done or have failed to do.
This week’s spotlight
Bells
Protected by the bell tower, the bells are rung for
all the important moments in the life of the parish. They call Christians to
Mass, or they announce that a baptism, a marriage, or a funeral is being
celebrated. And, of course, they give the hour - all you need to do is count
the number of chimes! Thus the bells remind us of God’s presence in our lives.
The Church: the assembly of those called
When Catholics go to Mass, they don't love go only
when they feel like it, or just on an occasional whim. Catholics go to Mass to
answer God's call. God's love calls us together as brothers and sisters. If we
love God, we should want to answer his call. He commands us to gather every
Sunday to hear his word and to share in the holy sacrifice. The word
"church” is related to the word for "Lord” (“kyrie” in Greek), and
means “the house of the Lord."
Reflection
Boundless love!
Who among us would abandon ninety-nine sheep in the
desert to go off and save a single one? The shepherd that Jesus describes has
lost his head.
To rescue a single sheep, he takes the risk of losing
ninety-nine sheep. He does this because every sheep is precious and when one is
lost, that is the one that counts. So the shepherd looks tirelessly for the
lost sheep until he finds it. When he does find it, he brings his friends and
neighbors together to rejoice. The shepherd is God himself, and the sheep are
people. The lost sheep is the person who has strayed from God. But God goes out
to look for him. He refuses to abandon him. Each of us is precious to God. One
lost sheep is one too many. Not a single sheep should be missing in heaven,
since the love of God is love for each one of us!
Discussion questions
1.Why does Jesus welcome sinners?
2.What stories does Jesus tell?
3.What do these stories tell us about God?
After
receiving Holy Communion,
you can say this prayer silently to yourself. If you
have not yet
received your First Communion, you can still say this prayer because of your desire to
receive Jesus.
Father, through Jesus, in
communion with the whole Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. Your
love is so great that you keep searching for us, even when we stray. Help me,
in turn, to forgive my enemies, and to reach out to others.
This week…
Let yourself be brought back by the shepherd
During this week, take a moment
to reflect on how God comes looking for you when you stray.
Rejoicing with the shepherd
Take some time this week to
reflect on what is good and right in your life. Write this down on a sheet of
paper and put it in your prayer corner or that special place where you keep
your personal things.
Crossword Puzzle
Source: usccb.org
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