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Matthew 18: 12-14 | King James Audio Bible | KJV | Daily Bible Verses Advent
12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
In these verses of the Bible, Christ expresses the love of God for all people. Christ’s is not an exclusive calling, nor especially a calling to those who most clearly, visibly, seem to adhere to the requirements of the Old Law; he has come to bring home to God those who have wandered, sinners who have fallen far from the Law. When a sinner comes home to God, there is incredible rejoicing in heaven. So we, though we may sin, should never be afraid to return to the Church, to say sorry, confess our sins, and find forgiveness.
The little ones in these verses are children. Asked who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven, Christ has called a child to come to him, so that he may the more forcibly tell us that we must become like children to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Children reflect the innocence, purity, simplicity and tenderness of our Lord, and these are virtues we are called to imitate.
Furthermore, we are asked to pay special attention to protecting the children, the little ones, and those most vulnerable in our society. None must be allowed to perish through the moral corruption present in our society. Each is precious.
‘Unfortunately we witness the moral pollution which is devastating humanity, disregarding especially those very little ones about whom Jesus speaks. What must we do? We must imitate the Good Shepherd and give ourselves without rest for the salvation of souls. Without forgetting material charity and social justice, we must be convinced that the most sublime charity is spiritual charity, that is, the commitment for the salvation of souls. All souls are saved with prayer and sacrifice. This is the mission of the Church.’ Pope John Paul II
Concluding Prayer | Love Revealed By Jesus Christ
Lord God,
all the ends of the earth have seen your salvation.
Give us the grace to await with joy
the glorious day of our Saviour’s birth.
We make our prayer through our Lord
King James Audio Bible | Endnotes
Children In Christian Faith And Jesus Of Nazareth | Pope Francis
Children face challenges that have a lasting impact on their lives. Challenges include moral decay, loss of family values, and increasing violence and insecurity.
The Bible speaks directly, reminding us that ‘sin is a reproach to any people’ (Proverbs 14:34) and that ‘people will seek teachers who will feed their own desires instead of enduring sound doctrine’ (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
Pope Francis has addressed this challenge, noting that ‘we are living in a culture of relativism that denies absolute truth’ and that this culture ‘errs in teaching that each person has his or her own truth’.
A challenge facing children is loss of family values – therefore breakdown in social fabric of communities. The Bible instructs us to ‘honor one’s parents’ (Exodus 20:12) and to ‘raise children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord’ (Ephesians 6:4).
Pope Francis has emphasized importance of family values, stating that ‘the family is the foundation of coexistence and a remedy against social fragmentation’. Pope Francis adds that ‘children have the right to grow up in a family with a father and a mother who can create a suitable environment for their development and emotional maturity’.
Children face violence and insecurity. The Bible teaches us to be ‘peacemakers’ (Matthew 5:9) and to ‘live peaceably with all people as far as possible’ (Romans 12:18). Pope Francis has spoken out against violence and insecurity, reminding us that ‘we are called to promote peace and to reject a mentality of hostility, hate, and enmity’.
The Carrefour will be open, where I can buy nuts for the red squirrel, who lives in Campo Grande. The red squirrel is Valladolid’s best bit. Even as a child, I had never seen one before, apart from in picture books. It was last term’s discovery. The most beautiful encounter. I didn’t know it was there – in the park. A complete surprise. The tiny little thing bobbled and hopped, as it received in its little hands a nut from the man’s hands. Each surprising instant – it was childlike. I whispered: ‘Oh my wow.’ I walk toward the El Cortes Ingles. There is, for now, that settled feel of friends in bookshops. Though a null-affect, neutral day – it won’t glean, it is not to be scratched at. The queues are long in the Carrefour. Though, as it might be, on relatively modest incomes, many people live centrally. Their behaviours neither pinched nor stark. Yet the shop so busy while the street so empty… An error in the simulation, a glitch in the code. I potter about the aisles, which are pleasant enough, then at the tills I flinch at how expensive a little bag of up-sold nuts can be. Nonetheless, I queue for a packet of almonds. Two English men queue directly ahead of me. They are stocky, and have gay voices, their wheelie-bucket piled with soft drinks and party food, while they bitch to one another about the obviously terrible party they’re going to. The air heaves relief as I wander up the way to the broad plaza fringing Campo Grande. This is a place to see – a piece of Spain. There is a tourist information office, though unopened. At these fountains, three girls take selfies. Pompous-looking buildings, the military offices aside, line the park’s nearest vicinities. Hotel-bars have their patches. Liveried doormen idle time, for there are no paying customers, in and out the doorways’ shadows. A mixed group of kids play at the hoops on the pedestrian boulevard, and two boys practise on skateboards, working the thing out. I pass by them, touched by the thought, and happy that they are there. Wistful, I smile at the odds of the ball spilling over to me, and play in mind the agreeable scene of a fleeting connection. Then I am through the park gates. An air now – of humanity become self-selecting. Modestly understated. Understatedly modest. Campo Grande is nice but it isn’t grande… I walk slowly, and very soon hear for a second time English voices. Not them – it is an English family, just a little way ahead, a Dad and a Mum and a younger boy and an older girl, and theirs are Midlands accents. Dad seems to have been here and to know the place. He gestures panoramically. Mum wants her lunch. The girl at a difficult age. She carries a balloon-on-a-stick. Though she is sprouting – yet wears a loud dress. Then leggings, trainers. Her hair is nice… Maybe she is being okay about it. And not horrific. It’s okay once they get into it, but those months… Yet then, they mostly blossom, if they come from a good home, and become rounded personalities, entering into their womanhood. It was that… when yet they weren’t… I shudder to think of it. They walk toward the pond, and I trail, and would follow had I not been going that way. I wish I could say something so they might hear I am English too. (Fake a phone call?) How my voice might sound – there’d be all college hurling around in such matter I… a demented thing, ludicrous blurt – of Henry, Geoff, and all of them – not to mention the personal predicament. Maybe they’re a nice family. She is letting him explain what he needs to explain. And it would blow his fire, me being English. Mum and Dad. You’d probably see them all having their lunch in a little while. All sat round the table. With napkins and the menus out. Dad looks safe. I look into the pond. Terrapins live in there. But not today. I walk toward the join in the paths where the squirrel lives. There, I crumple the packet of almonds, making noise. I peer and I squat and crouch – chewing a mouthful. All the peacocks have perched right up in the trees’ branches. That never looks like something they should be doing. It’s disappointing that the squirrel isn’t here – but then the not-knowing-if is a part of it. Now, next, my visit to the National Sculpture Museum is an obligation. Canon Peter stood literally aghast when I hadn’t heard of it. Mortified, I made resolute promises. Though a few weeks have passed, it isn’t just any old something I could do on the hoof. A great commitment – it must command a known and prepared and anticipated not-just-any-old-time. But, rather, the sort you must wait for – and listen for. [ … ] Beyond Plaza Mayor, there would be a brief series of old-town alleyways. The National Sculpture Museum would be – just up there, this archway, this next…They are bleached and forgotten-looking walls, and the smoothed paving could be medieval. Not that it is making Tomàs anxious – I follow the map. A kind of place – uneasy credit-cards, and modern vaccinations, and a phone, might not help much. I fancy I feel the back-wall of a church, and that – fancifully – pressure-release drawn out of me. Only I am playing games in a nice way – making play-scared on the uncertainty – with only myself to see. The National Museum is there, modestly signed on stencilled plexiglass stuck to the stone wall. A uniformed lady sits just a little way inside the doorway. She reassures me there is no money required, and directs me over the courtyard into the planned route, showing me where I can pick up a free map. I get my […]
Psalm 87 expresses adoration and reverence for the city of Zion, as of its sacred foundation as the holy mountain. Attributed to the sons of Korah, this psalm begins by highlighting the exclusive and divine nature of Zion’s establishment [ … ]
Dear Jesus, You are the source of true joy. Fill my heart with your joy, a joy that is steadfast and unshakable. Help me to find joy in your presence and in the blessings you have given me. Teach me to see the beauty in everyday moments and to appreciate the gift of life. Let your joy be my strength, uplifting me in times of difficulty and celebrating with me in times of happiness. May your joy overflow in my life, touching those around me and bringing light to the world. Amen [ … ]
