For Matthew, the evangelist, today's parable of "the Lost Sheep" is addressed to the disciples, that is, the leaders of the Church. It expresses strongly one main concern of the Church, namely, to receive back the strayed members and 'sinners'. To help bring back a strayed one is fulfilling the will of the Father: "it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones be destroyed".

The joy that the shepherd experiences in finding the lost one is the same feeling experienced when a member of our community who has gone astray, returns. The action of the shepherd resembles that of our heavenly Father who promises to serve as the shepherd: "I will seek the lost and I'll bring back the strayed" (Ez. 34:15-16). The same image is reflected in the first reading as prophet Isaiah describes the ways the Lord treats us, "He is like a shepherd feeding his flock, gathering lambs in his arms ..." (vs. 10 & 11).

Today's reading challenges us to reflect on our attitude towards the so-called 'lost sheep' in our Parish community. What response can we make to bring them back to the fold? Let this Advent season be a time for self-examination, as well as communal evaluation on how we ought to prepare to receive Christ concretely daily in our lives in terms of our attitude towards those whom we consider as 'lost sheep' in our community.