Our Scriptures today are summed up in the opening words from our God. “Comfort, give comfort to my people.”    Why should God’s people feel comforted?  No doubt because “Her service (servitude and exile) is at an end, her guilt is expiated… she has received… double for all her sins.”

Moreover, “A voice cries out… prepare the way of the Lord.”  Wastelands are made straight, valleys filled in, mountains and hills leveled. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed. “The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”  “The word of our God stands forever.”

The “glad tidings” and the “good news” are everywhere in Jerusalem and Judah.   No longer is their fear, because “Here is your God!” He comes with power.  He rules with a strong arm.  His recompense comes with him.  “Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and, leading the ewes with care.”  

Following this prophecy of Isaiah, Jesus in the Gospel questions his disciples.  What is your opinion about a shepherd having one hundred sheep and one goes astray?  Should he leave the ninety-nine and search for the stray until he finds it?  To do so would contradict the modern wisdom according to which individuals are expendable for the sake of the majority.

For example, prevalent is the belief that capital punishment is necessary for the safety of society and that stem cells harvested at the price of an embryo’s life is the only solution for healing many sick people.  This same philosophy led to Jesus’ crucifixion.  Remember how the high-priest Caiaphas said; “Can you not see that it is better for you to have one man die than to have the whole nation destroyed.”  Jesus firmly believed that good could never be achieved through evil means.  

The Lord loves unconditionally each individual he gave the gift of life.  Yes, even the lost sheep was deserving of that love.  To Jesus, the lost sheep was just as important and valuable as any one of the ninety-nine who never strayed.  “In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”  So today we can take “comfort” knowing the Lord’s unconditional love includes each of us.