Strayed And Scattered

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? 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" (Matthew 18:12-14).

Jesus’ parable reminds us of Ezekiel (34:12, 16) who prophesizes that God promises to shepherd the flock of his people: “I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered…The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back.”

Our first reading from Isaiah (40:1-11) says much the same: “…Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. 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.”

This Advent season we focus on family and think about those who have scattered and need to be rescued with a visit or a phone call.   They are away and feeling lost and alone.  By reaching out to them we bring back the strayed perhaps caused by depression and feeling unloved.

The burden is on us – the shepherds – to gather them back, to hold them in our arms close to our hearts and show them care.  We rejoice when they are found meaning they know they are loved, and we have made that clear to them.  There’s nothing better than replacing their tears with smiles and even laughter.

Deacon David Pierce