December 9th, 2025
“Adoration of the Shepherds” by Anna Morelli
Parable of the Lost Sheep
By Carina Maguire
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."
Matthew 18:12-14
Today’s gospel reading reminds the disciples - and us - that God’s love is not passive but a love that actively seeks and pursues us when we are lost. The Lord desires a close communion with each one of His children, a relationship full of intimacy and trust. We hear this in the story known as the “Parable of the Lost Sheep” or “The Parable of the Ninety-Nine.”
Although this parable is familiar to Christians, I am not sure if we always appreciate the perspective Jesus is offering us here, now, today. Its message can easily fade into the background, especially as our sins and weaknesses distract us daily. We convince ourselves we have wandered too far, crossed some point of no return. We start to believe we are unlovable, undeserving of our Father’s care. Out of shame, we turn our backs on the Lord, mistaking our fallen nature for a barrier He cannot cross.
But the Lord knows our nature intimately. He entered into our brokenness—even while remaining sinless. The temptations we battle and the grasp of the wicked one are not foreign to Him; our Savior has faced them all.
Because of this brokenness, we often withdraw from the Light, the Truth, and the Goodness we long for. We are ashamed to admit our need. Yet the Good Shepherd never stops searching for us. Our cry to Him from the wilderness of our sin is heard. He meets us there. He even sends his army of angels and saints to our aid—if only we call upon His name:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Carina Maguire is a watercolor artist and iconographer based in metro Detroit. Her work explores the intersection of faith and creativity, using art as a means of devotion, storytelling, and spiritual reflection. You can find out more about her here.
Anna Morelli is a freelance artist from the Midwest. If you want to learn more about her, you can check out her website here: https://amorellisart.wixsite.com/home