The Stray

Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent

Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family

Matthew 18:12-14 — Jesus said to his disciples: "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. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost." 

(Parent)  Reread this part a few times aloud

“… it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”

(Parent)  Read this meditation aloud to the family

This is a section of the Gospel where Jesus is talking to His disciples, in part, about children (and one or more children are present).  And Jesus tells them something of God the Father’s will: “…it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”

It is the role of parents to do their absolute best to bring their children ultimately to God.  Parents can sometimes decide to take shortcuts in what they let their children do, or watch, or listen to, or say, or wear, because they don’t want to seem “super-Christian” to their children or to their adult friends.  Most parents (even good parents) have done this.  But as a Christian family we must live according to a higher standard.  Our goal as parents must be to do everything we can to help to bring our children to the joy of union with God the Father in heaven, and to give God the Father the joy of union with our children, as well.         

As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above.(Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)