What do you “see” when you “look” at the one who went astray?

Today at Holy Mass we get a small insight into the way God the Father thinks - And acts!…In the Gospel of St Matthew we are told about God’s love for us - Even for the “one” who does not do what he is asked….”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? 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 just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost”…Would you do this? - Risk the safety of the ninety-nine for one “screw up”?…Most people would not…It does not make sense to us - But it makes perfect sense to God…Because God’s love for us is beyond our understanding…..If a man has twelve sons and eleven of his sons are successful and well educated…But one of his sons has a drug dependency and is in and out of jail…How would that father react?…A good father would seek out the one son who was the drug addict - And on his death bed, his last request would be to the other eleven sons - “Make sure you take care of your brother!”……I have three sons and that would be my response on my death bed if I had such a “lost son”…..As a father of five, you always see your children in your mind as innocent - Then the world comes sweeping in!…But in your eyes you always remember your children as they were as babies - Sitting on your lap - Innocent as the driven snow….This is how God sees us all - As his beloved children!…God’s love for us is beyond our understanding…And when we make the wrong choices, he permits hardships to take place in our life - Not to punish us - But to allow us to “see” what we are doing and change….The only thing God desires for us is that we arrive safely back to him in heaven!…But the unbelieving secular world does not see it that way!…We sadly more times then we realize look to find heaven on earth - Something which we never will find…And this is why we “write off” the “screw ups” - Those we consider “hopeless” - To us “such people” just “get in the way”…God does not think or respond in that way!…And frankly, if we are Catholic, we should not think or respond in that way either…..It takes courage to “leave the ninety-nine for the one who is lost” - The “ninety-nine” many times gets angry when one does this - They “do not understand”….But God understands - Because his love is beyond human understanding….The “calculus” of God is different from that of man - But if we want to enter into God’s Kingdom - The “mathematics” of mankind must change

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart”

Every time I hear this Gospel, I think of Pope Francis….He was willing to “leave the ninety-nine in search for the one”…..Allow me to explain….Many “conservative Catholics” would get unset when Pope Francis would speak at the Vatican to a public sinner…There was a famous Italian journalist who would constantly get audiences with the Pope…And the “Catholic mob” on social media would go CRAZY…..Why did Pope Francis speaks to this man?….Why? - Because he loved him and was hoping he would “return to God”….Currently, Pope Leo asked a controversial nun to sit on this Vatican committee…And the same “Catholic mob” on social media is going "berserk”!!!…Pope Leo “sees” the same thing that the “mob” sees - The errors of that nun - But the difference is - The Pope loves her and is “trying” to help her…And the “mob” is looking to cast her off into the wilderness….A good father is patient and a good father loves all his children….Love never gives up on anyone!!!!…..And as Catholics we must be patient with each other - Something I personally need to work on - Big time!…..St Paul instructs us in this mindset…..”Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do”…….We are also told by Jesus in the parable of the wheat and the weeds…..”He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up? He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest”……As Catholics our hearts of stone must be transformed into hearts of flesh….God sees everything!…He knows what the one “screw up” did….Let God “deal” with him…But in the mean time…It is for us to be patient with “our brother” and never give up on anyone - Always reaching out for the “one” who is lost.

“Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me”

God’s ways are not our ways - That is very true! - But that does not mean we stop trying to love like God!….Seeing the world through the eyes of God is impossible, however, the closer we get to God, the more we will “see”…..This is why the secular world does not understand the Catholic world view….Materialism, Power & Status - These things have no place in God’s eyes…And if we see the world through the lens of “the worldly” - We will NEVER understand anything Jesus Christ ever said or taught…..This is why in order to “believe” - We first must REPENT…..One Sacramental Confession “opens our eyes” to “see”……”Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized, and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength”…How we live determines what we “see” and what we “see” determines how live……”I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost”……What do you “see” when you “look” at the one who went astray?…….JMJ