Contemplating today's Gospel
Today's Gospel + homily (in 300 words)
He guides me in right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage.
You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come.
How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
“Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep”
Fr. Pedro IGLESIAS Martínez (Rubí, Barcelona, Spain)Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. From time immemorial, people have been “physically” placing in their hearts the best and the worst of the human race. Christ shows us his, with the scars of our sins, as a symbol of his love for all people, and it is from this very Heart, where past, present and future History is revitalized and renewed, where we can contemplate and understand the joy of He who has found what He had lost.
“Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep” (Lk 9:6). When we hear these words, we always tend to place ourselves in the group of the ninety-nine upright who do not need to repent, and observe “from a distance” how Jesus offers salvation to others who happen to be much worse than us. Not at all! Jesus' joy has a name and a face: mine, yours, his... we all are “the lost sheep” because of our sins; so we better stop adding fuel to the flames of our arrogance, while we think we are fully converted.
We live in a time where the concept of sin is played down or is even denied, where the Sacrament of Penance is considered by some as something hard, sad, and obsolete. But the Lord, in his parable, speaks only of celebration, and He does not do it only here, but all throughout the Gospels. Zaccheus, after having been forgiven, invites Jesus to eat to celebrate his conversion (cf. Lk 19:1-9); the prodigal's father forgives him and offers a party for his return (cf. Lk 15,11-32), and the Good Shepherd rejoices for his found lamb that had wandered off the trail.
St. Josemaria Escrivá said: “A man is worth what his heart is worth.” Let us meditate from Luke's Gospel whether the price —which appears on our heart's price tag— compares with the ransom the Sacred Heart of Jesus has paid for each one of us.
Thoughts on Today's Gospel
“And you, redeemed man, see Who is hanging for you on the cross; how great He is.” (Saint Bonaventure)
“The very core of Christianity is expressed in the heart of Jesus: the Love that saves us and even now makes us live in the eternity of God.” (Benedict XVI)
“The Gospel is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God's mercy to sinners. The angel announced to Joseph: ‘You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins’ (Mt 1:21). The same is true of the Eucharist, the sacrament of redemption: ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins’ (Mt 26:28).” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Nº 1846)
October 6th
Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Gospel and commentary video
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The calendar of Saints and Solemnities for October
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