Sweet as Honey

August 12, 2008
Tuesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Son of man, he then said to me, feed your belly and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you. I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. He said: Son of man, go now to the house of Israel, and speak my words to them. Ezekiel 3:3-4

What is your opinion? 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. Matthew 18:12-13

Piety
Let us pray: Father, help us not seek greatness, but humility. Help us not seek personal glory but obedience. Jesus, through your humble example, you inspire us to be sheep that never stray. Yet something will pull us from your path…distracting us with a sight, a smell, a taste, a touch, or a sound. No matter what the distraction, Holy Spirit, help us to keep our lived focused the life giving bread and waters provided by Jesus. Amen.

Study
http://www.usccb.org/nab/081208.shtml

What makes you happy?

A vacation in your favorite place?
A visit from a favorite friend of relative?
A meal shared in a preferred restaurant?
A long walk in the woods, up a mountain or along a beach?
A day at the gym or a run in the morning?
The accomplishment of a job done well?
Seeing the work of your child or grandchild as they succeed in school or at work?
The taste of a spoonful of honey?

Today, Jesus tells us two things that make God happy. First, he singles out the smallest, least powerful creation – a child – as the model for us to follow. Jesus explains that when we receive a child, we welcome Him as well. Despite all the power and strength that adult men had in society, the model Jesus holds up is a mere child!

The sheer audacity of such a reversal in the statement of power in the prevailing Middle East culture took people by surprise – especially people who are trying to jockey for position of being most in favor with God.

Second, we must protect the children and everyone from straying for the Lord. Certainly this implies protection of and caring for children are acts of utmost importance. But protection knows no age limit. No one should be lost. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost. Matthew 18:14

Jesus often refers to his disciples in terms like a child. In the last chapter of John’s Gospel, when Jesus calls to the disciples in the boat, he uses such an endearing expression.

Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” John 21:5. After the resurrection, Jesus sees his relationship with his disciples as an adult to children. The disciples have become like children in Jesus’ eyes, out in the boat fishing. How can we do the same?

So the second cause of rejoicing for God is when a lost disciple returns to him. [H]e rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. Once again, Jesus uses exaggeration to get his point across. No human shepherd would risk losing his entire flock or large chunks of it by chasing after one lost sheep. But Jesus is not measured by human standards.

Action

Sin and scandal once again dominate the news proving that infidelity, adultery and the like are not spectator sports and hypocrisy rules on both sides of the proverbial political aisle. While the media will dwell on those who have fallen, the real story is those who pick themselves up with the help of God. Jesus lesson for us today is to reach out and not to judge anyone who has fallen.

Sin may taste sweet for a while. But when we perform idol worship on any human, they are bound to disappoint at least some of us. Jesus is the one who does not disappoint. His word, when savored, is the word that is never bitter. It may be hard to follow but when we do follow it, we are showered with sweetness.

Consider a time when you strayed like a lost sheep. Who brought you back? Thank them today. And catch yourself from criticizing those who stray. Reach out to bring them back.