November 8th, 2018

Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

LECTIONARY
488

FIRST READING
PHIL 3:3-8A

Brothers and sisters:
We are the circumcision,
we who worship through the Spirit of God,
who boast in Christ Jesus and do not put our confidence in flesh,
although I myself have grounds for confidence even in the flesh.

If anyone else thinks he can be confident in flesh, all the more can I.
Circumcised on the eighth day,
of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,
a Hebrew of Hebrew parentage,
in observance of the law a Pharisee,
in zeal I persecuted the Church,
in righteousness based on the law I was blameless.

But whatever gains I had,
these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ.
More than that, I even consider everything as a loss
because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

PSALM
PS 105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

Response: Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord.

Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!

Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.

You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.

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.”

Daily Reflection

In a culture where tax collectors are despised and sinners are shunned, Jesus offers teachings that encourage the rejected to come to Him. His response to wayward people strongly contrasts with that of the spiritually blind, disapproving religious leaders who give people a wrong idea about God. Jesus shows in each parable that God is our Father who goes to great lengths to restore a sinner to Himself. God loves and pursues sinners as the "Hound of Heaven" and rejoices when they turn back to Him and away from their sins. Jesus mingles with sinners, who are the people that most need to hear of God’s love for them. Our mission, like that of Jesus, is to love people and draw to God those who don’t know about God’s loving heart. We must reflect Jesus’ concern and compassion, seeking out the lost and rejoicing with heaven over every repentant sinner.

LOVING THE LAST, THE LEAST, AND THE LOST

The devil strains every nerve to secure the souls which belong to Christ. We should not grudge our toil in wresting them from Satan and giving them back to God – St Sebastian.