THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS JUNE 24, 2022

MASS READINGS:

A reading of the holy Gospel according to Lk 15:3-7

Jesus addressed this parable to the Pharisees and scribes: "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."

REFLECTION

'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'

When we love, we do so instinctively without any concern for ourselves, the sacrifices we make and the struggles endured. We abandon ourselves to the ones whom we love and we watch over them, that they grow up knowing and loving God, law abiding citizens, honest and caring. We watch over them, without hesitation. We counsel them and advise when a wrong needs to be corrected. We don't do what we do for our loved ones for plaudits, to be praised, or to be noticed. In fact, most of the time we go unnoticed, in the background. But we are there!! What we do is purely out of love and a desire that they make it to heaven.

God, our Creator, loved us so much that He took on a human heart to live among us, find us, teach, guide and bring us back to Him. The Good Shepherd said, "I myself will pasture my sheep." (Ezekiel 34:15). But to save us, Jesus had to die on the Cross. We know how great He is and how great what He did. And as He slept on the Cross, the soldier pierced His beautiful heart: blood and water flowed out, totally emptying Him of life. He became our living well of water overflowing with graces for us. What love, total abandonment to the Will of the Father. And all He asks that we obey His commandments and love Him.

We are loved with a perfect human heart. There is nothing we shall want as the Good Shepherd never leaves us. Always there.

With thanksgiving, we sing praises to God for wonderfully making us heirs to His Kingdom.

God Bless You.