Daily Catholic Lectio. Tue, 10 December ’24. Searching for the small

Daily Catholic Lectio

Tue, 10 December ‘24

Second Week of Advent – Tuesday

Isaiah 40:1-11. Psalm 96. Matthew 18:12-14

Searching for the small

Today’s liturgy of the word turns our focus from the big things we are constantly seeking—big buildings, big vehicles, big houses, big people—towards the small and the little ones. In the event of Christ’s birth, all the figures we encounter are seen as small in the eyes of the world: ‘Mary of Nazareth,’ ‘Joseph the carpenter,’ ‘the shepherds of Bethlehem,’ ‘the kings from afar.’

In today’s first reading, the prophet Isaiah announces to the people of Israel the message that they will return to Jerusalem. The kings scattered their people, the Lord God acts as a shepherd and gathers them back towards Jerusalem. Here we see four actions of a shepherd: ‘He feeds’ – ‘providing food,’ ‘He gathers’ – ‘protecting from being lost,’ ‘He carries’ – ‘acting with awareness of needs, conducting with dignity,’ ‘He carefully leads the flock’ – ‘showing individual concern for the flock.’

In the Gospel reading, Jesus provides the example of the ‘lost sheep.’ The shepherd who has 100 sheep leaves the 99 to search for the one that is lost. From a human perspective, 99 is greater than 1. Instead of sitting back and thinking that what he has is greater and what is lost is smaller, the shepherd seeks out the small, recognising it as significant.

Jesus says, ‘Not one of the little ones should be lost’—this is the heart of the heavenly Father. God shows concern for the small and the little ones.

From the Word to Life:

(a) The Bible warns, ‘Those who despise the small will gradually perish’ (Sirach 19:1). To collapse a large building, it is enough to remove a small stone from its foundation. The building will come down on its own. Small matters determine the greater values of our lives. There have been many times when we lost the bigger things because we were distracted by the small. Therefore, let us be careful with the little things in life.

(b) A person’s worth or character is determined by how they treat the little ones. The little ones are those within our close circle, within the small circle of our lives. Even though they seem close to us, upon reflection, we find ourselves distanced from them. We often fail to give them our time, energy, skills, and resources. It is good to recognize those who are near us.

(c) There are many times when we feel ‘small’ or ‘insignificant.’ In times of physical weakness, financial scarcity, old age, or lack of strength, we feel as if we are at the mercy of others. We tend to become lost from others. In such times, let us strengthen our faith that God is seeking us. His word remains forever steadfast.

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The ‘pilgrims of hope’ seek the lost (Jubilee 2025, bite 268).

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

Missionary of Mercy