Sunday Sermon 6/9/13

Today's readings (from the Sacred Heart Feast Day) are all 

from the Good Shepherd imagery in the Old Testament, the 

Epistles and finally the New Testament.It has always been a 

bit difficult to visualize the abandoning of the 99 sheep for 

the one lost. Our modern world is much more interested in groups 

and numbers; the 1% are interesting outliers at best.
Even Paul seems a bit worried:

"But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood,
will we be saved through him from the wrath."

But there are gigantic implications in the shepherd--who 

sacrifices Himself for the whole--protecting the one for 

the 99. And we eagerly accept the legal corollary. We insist on 

sacrificing the efficiency and rights of the society to protect 

the rights of the individual. 

We always hesitate at "the greatest good for the greatest number."

Fortunately, Christ always chooses charity over justice and 

statistics.