Daily Readings - Fri Jun 27 2025

¹¹For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I myself will seek my sheep, and I myself will visit them¹²Just as a shepherd visits his flock, in the day when he will be in the midst of his sheep that were scattered, so will I visit my sheep. And I will deliver them from all the places to which they had been scattered in the day of gloom and darkness¹³And I will lead them away from the peoples, and I will gather them from the lands, and I will bring them into their own land. And I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, by the rivers, and in all the settlements of the land¹⁴I will feed them in very fertile pastures, and their pastures will be on the lofty mountains of Israel. There they will rest on the green grass, and they will be fed in the fat pastures, on the mountains of Israel¹⁵I will feed my sheep, and I will cause them to lie down, says the Lord God¹⁶I will seek what had been lost. And I will lead back again what had been cast aside. And I will bind up what had been broken. And I will strengthen what had been infirm. And I will preserve what was fat and strong. And I will feed them on judgment

Romans

Chapter 5

⁵but hope is not unfounded, because the love of God is poured forth in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us⁶Yet why did Christ, while we were still infirm, at the proper time, suffer death for the impious⁷Now someone might barely be willing to die for the sake of justice, for example, perhaps someone might dare to die for the sake of a good man⁸But God demonstrates his love for us in that, while we were yet sinners, at the proper time⁹Christ died for us. Therefore, having been justified now by his blood, all the more so shall we be saved from wrath through him¹⁰For if we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, while we were still enemies, all the more so, having been reconciled, shall we be saved by his life¹¹And not only that, but we also glory in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation

Luke

Chapter 15

³And he told this parable to them, saying⁴"What man among you, who has one hundred sheep, and if he will have lost one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the one whom he had lost, until he finds it⁵And when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing⁶And returning home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them: ‘Congratulate me! For I have found my sheep, which had been lost.⁷I say to you, that there will be so much more joy in heaven over one sinner repenting, than over the ninety-nine just, who do not need to repent

Sermon

The readings today offer a powerful reflection on God’s boundless love and mercy. In the first reading from Ezekiel, we hear the Lord describe Himself as a shepherd who seeks out His scattered and lost sheep. This passage emphasizes God’s active care for His people, promising to rescue them from darkness and lead them to fertile pastures. It’s a vision of a God who does not abandon His flock but instead goes out to heal the broken, strengthen the weak, and bring back those who have wandered away. This imagery reminds us that God’s love is not passive; it is dynamic, seeking, and saving. The second reading from Romans deepens this theme by highlighting the extraordinary nature of God’s love. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us, demonstrating the depth of God’s love. This passage challenges us to consider the radical nature of divine love—a love that gives itself even for those who do not deserve it. It reminds us that our reconciliation with God is not based on our worthiness but on His gratuitous love. The reading also invites us to glory in God, not because of our own merits, but because of the gift of salvation we have received through Christ. In the Gospel, Luke shares the parable of the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to find the one lost sheep. This story underscores the joy of God when even one sinner repents. It teaches us that every soul is precious to God, and His love is not limited to the righteous or the perfect. The shepherd’s joy is contagious, and it calls us to share in that joy by embracing God’s mercy and extending it to others. Together, these readings remind us that we are all sheep who have wandered at times, but God’s love is always seeking us, always finding us, and always rejoicing over our return. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do we respond to God’s seeking love? Do we allow ourselves to be found, or do we resist His grace? Let us also consider how we can imitate this divine love in our own lives. Are we willing to go out of our way to care for others, especially those who feel lost or forgotten? May we find joy in the mercy of God and may we, in turn, be instruments of that mercy for others.