The Joy of the Found: Hope in the Heart of God
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Matthew 18:12-14
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 one? 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 the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.
Grace Prayed For
The scripture passage prompts the reader to pray for the grace of the Good Shepherd’s Heart—the grace to possess a vigilant, relentless, and active love that seeks out the lost, the marginalized, and the broken, and to share in the divine joy of their return.
Reflection
Our Advent journey of Vigilance and Hope is profoundly rooted in the image of the Shepherd searching for the lost sheep. This passage reveals the very vigilance of our Trinitarian God—a love so intense and focused that it leaves the security of the whole to pursue the one. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, does not wait passively; He actively, intentionally, and lovingly searches.
Reflect on your own heart. When we pray for the grace to recognize and prepare the way of the Lord, we are asking for His vigilance to become our own. We are called to embody the searching, seeking love of the Father. Have you ever felt like that lost sheep—separated, vulnerable, maybe even unaware you were missing? Jesus never stopped looking for you. His love impacted my life by meeting me in my most lost and broken moments, extending to me that same relentless grace. This is the hope that anchors our faith.
The rejoicing when the sheep is found is key. It is an overwhelming, disproportionate joy that affirms the value of every single “little one.” This Divine joy is the love that shines forth from us when we carry this mission into the world. When we participate in the search—when we refuse to give up on a soul, when we offer a word of comfort, when we prepare a heart for Jesus—we join in the immense rejoicing of the heavenly Father. Our intimacy with God deepens as we partner with Christ, becoming His hands and feet in the search, witnessing to the fact that it is not the will of our heavenly Father that one… be lost. Let this incredible pursuit of Divine love motivate your every encounter.
Daily Evangelization and Baptismal Mission
The love of Jesus for me has been demonstrated in His constant presence, rescuing me from despair and giving me a purpose to live for Him. Evangelization is simply making His rescuing love visible. Rejoicing (Celebrating the Small Wins): The Shepherd rejoices over the one. Proclaim the Gospel by celebrating the goodness you see in others and in the world. When a co-worker achieves a goal, or a family member shows kindness, express genuine, effusive joy. This outward expression of happiness, rooted in gratitude for God’s presence, is a living witness to the great hope and ultimate restoration of creation that awaits us.
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Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post