Today’s Gospel reading comes from Luke. Today we hear what kind of shepherd God is:
“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.” (Lk. 15:4-7).
This story would have shocked the listeners in Jesus’ day. The fact of the matter is that no shepherd would have left the ninety-nine sheep behind to go find the one lost sheep. Leaving the ninety-nine unattended would have exposed and unprotected. Any shepherd would have counted the one as a loss, let it go and would have stayed behind to watch over the ninety-nine that were left. In this parable we learn that God’s ways are certainly not our ways. Rather, we hear that the one lost sheep is so important to the Good Shepherd that He is willing to do something other shepherds would consider to be nonsense in order to bring it back home. This is no less shocking today than it was 2000 years ago when Jesus first told the parable.
Let us pray: Loving God, You shock us with Your great love for us, a love that is so great that You sent Your only Son, Jesus Christ, to give His life for us, the lost sheep. Send Your Holy Spirit to fill our hearts so that we may proclaim Your gracious love to the world. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
This Sunday for Adult Christian Formation, we will begin a short series on Sundays until Advent at 11:00 a.m. in Sutton Hall—Stump the Vicar. Bring your questions whatever they may be, about Scripture, the Episcopal Church, the liturgy, you name it, bring it! There will be a prize for anyone who stumps the Vicar.
Thursday, 11 November, is Veteran’s Day. Please remember in your prayers all of those who have served this Country in the Armed Forces.
Art classes begin Saturday, 13 November in the art room in Bright-Davies Hall. Please join Lee Runion. The class is free. Lee’s phone number is 409-392 4171.
Thanksgiving luncheon, Sunday, 21 November, after the Eucharist. Please remember to sign up to bring a dish to share.
Big Mista BBQ fundraiser for the Community Garden, Saturday, 11 December. Melva Pope has tickets, so please pick some up for friends and family.
PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially Pat Williams, the trumpeter who played at Second Sunday Jazz, who is in ICU.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.” (Lk. 15:4-7).
This story would have shocked the listeners in Jesus’ day. The fact of the matter is that no shepherd would have left the ninety-nine sheep behind to go find the one lost sheep. Leaving the ninety-nine unattended would have exposed and unprotected. Any shepherd would have counted the one as a loss, let it go and would have stayed behind to watch over the ninety-nine that were left. In this parable we learn that God’s ways are certainly not our ways. Rather, we hear that the one lost sheep is so important to the Good Shepherd that He is willing to do something other shepherds would consider to be nonsense in order to bring it back home. This is no less shocking today than it was 2000 years ago when Jesus first told the parable.
Let us pray: Loving God, You shock us with Your great love for us, a love that is so great that You sent Your only Son, Jesus Christ, to give His life for us, the lost sheep. Send Your Holy Spirit to fill our hearts so that we may proclaim Your gracious love to the world. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
This Sunday for Adult Christian Formation, we will begin a short series on Sundays until Advent at 11:00 a.m. in Sutton Hall—Stump the Vicar. Bring your questions whatever they may be, about Scripture, the Episcopal Church, the liturgy, you name it, bring it! There will be a prize for anyone who stumps the Vicar.
Thursday, 11 November, is Veteran’s Day. Please remember in your prayers all of those who have served this Country in the Armed Forces.
Art classes begin Saturday, 13 November in the art room in Bright-Davies Hall. Please join Lee Runion. The class is free. Lee’s phone number is 409-392 4171.
Thanksgiving luncheon, Sunday, 21 November, after the Eucharist. Please remember to sign up to bring a dish to share.
Big Mista BBQ fundraiser for the Community Garden, Saturday, 11 December. Melva Pope has tickets, so please pick some up for friends and family.
PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially Pat Williams, the trumpeter who played at Second Sunday Jazz, who is in ICU.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
No comments:
Post a Comment