The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110515.cfm) reminds me that wherever we may be, God will find us.
In the movie “Taken”, one of the most famous line is when he said to the kidnappers of her daughters, in his low and rough voice, that he will find them. In the movie, he used all his resources and connections to do something almost impossible – to find his daughter and rescue her. In as much as the father used all he had and gave all he’s got to find her daughter, so will God.
There is no problem if you get lost. He will find you. He will do everything he can to find you.
In the gospel we see that Jesus came to dine with sinners. Yes, he did not stay in the temple to pray and be with the holy ones of that time. He came to the streets looking for sinners.
God will go the extra mile to find you. That’s how special you are. No matter how sinful you are or you may feel, he will come to you. He will find you.
Sometimes we feel ashamed to come to God, especially when we feel sinful, or when we know we are living in sin. We think that we need to clean ourselves first before we come to Him, before he can accept us. But I believe this is not the case. Christian rapper Lecrae echoes this in his song
So if you feel like you gotta clean yourself up
Before you can come to Him, Forget it
Just come to Him
He’ll take you as you are,
and he’ll change YOU From the inside, out
However, God finding us is not the end. Like the sheep in the gospel, even if the owner finds it, if the sheep would run away and resist, it won’t be back with him. In the same way, we should be ready and willing to accept Jesus. We should be willing to surrender and go back to him. We should be willing to let him bring us back, heal us, and change us.
May we be reminded how special we are in God’s eyes, and be ready and willing to return with him when he finds us.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for the affirmation and reminder. Thank you for all the love you have been giving me. Thank you for seeing me in a special way, even if I don’t see myself that way. Thank you for taking the extra mile to find me. Sorry for staying away, Lord. Sorry for not coming back to you even if you do everything you can to find me. Help me see myself the way you see me. Help me see in myself the goodness and the potential you see in me. Help me not to only see it, but realize it. I also pray that you help me have a humble and contrite heart to come to you and come with you when you call me. Amen.
Blessed day!
In Christ,
-g-
Ps
See related reflections:
November 5, 2015
Reading 1 Rom 14:7-12
Brothers and sisters:
None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself.
For if we live, we live for the Lord,
and if we die, we die for the Lord;
so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
For this is why Christ died and came to life,
that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
Why then do you judge your brother or sister?
Or you, why do you look down on your brother or sister?
For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God;
for it is written:
As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend before me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.
So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God.
None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself.
For if we live, we live for the Lord,
and if we die, we die for the Lord;
so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
For this is why Christ died and came to life,
that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
Why then do you judge your brother or sister?
Or you, why do you look down on your brother or sister?
For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God;
for it is written:
As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend before me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.
So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God.
Responsorial Psalm PS 27:1bcde, 4, 13-14
R. (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
Alleluia Mt 11:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Lk 15:1-10
The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So Jesus addressed this parable to them.
“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
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.”
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So Jesus addressed this parable to them.
“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
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.”
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