Leaving the Ninety-Nine

Photo by Patrick Schneider on Unsplash

*Editor Note: Due to scheduling conflict there is no reflection for today’s readings. Please enjoy this reflection written by the talented Christina M. Sorrentino.*

"What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?” (Luke 15:4)

It is common to know someone, whether a friend or family member, who has left the Catholic Church. It could even be someone who used to be a faithful member of the parish, attending Mass every Sunday and being actively involved, but now they've disappeared from the pews. Sadly, the pandemic has caused many to never return to Mass.

Nowadays, it's acceptable to simply watch the live-streamed Mass whenever it fits into our schedule. Some Catholics no longer see the need to physically attend Mass and believe that the pandemic has shown them that they can get by just fine without it. However, while Christ is indeed present everywhere as God, as the Second Person of the Trinity, the Son of God, in Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, He is only fully present in the Eucharist, which is the truth (CCC 1374).

We need the Eucharist to receive the graces that come with the sacrament. By denying ourselves the Eucharist and replacing it with material things, we are denying ourselves of these graces. As members of the Mystical Body of Christ, we share the pain of watching our loved ones walk away from the truth and distance themselves from the Body of Jesus Christ. It is impossible to remain connected to the Head without being members of His Body since the Head is always a part of the Body.

We cannot have Christ without the Church. We can't claim to love Christ and distance ourselves from the Church since there's a real intimacy and love between Christ, the Bridegroom, and the Church, His Bride. Christ has cleansed the Church by washing away her sins with water and the word, sanctifying her and presenting her to Himself in splendor, holy, and without blemish (Ephesians 5:25-27).

He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. (Colossians 1:18)

There is no denying that the Catholic Church has faced many challenges throughout its 2,000 year history, and will continue to face difficulties in the present and future. However, the complete and whole truth is found within the Church, and the Catholic Church alone. Many Catholics who have fallen away from the Church did so not because they deny the truth, but because they never learned or understood it properly. Once someone knows and comprehends the truth, they could never walk away from it.

Despite being hurt and having suffered greatly at the hands of members of the Mystical Body of Christ, I could never walk away from the Church because I know, believe, and understand the truth. Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, died for me on the Cross to save me from my sins. The Father gave His only-Begotten Son to hang on a tree and die a terrible death, so that I could rise with Him on the Last Day. Christ did not abandon us, and He gave us His most precious gift, the Eucharist.

The infinite love and humility of the Son of God is revealed in the form of a tiny, white host, offered as humble bread and wine during every Holy Mass. In the Eucharist, He leaves us with His own Body and Blood, for us to adore, worship, and consume as a foretaste of Heaven and the Kingdom to come. The Father has given His only Son to us, and the Son offers Himself to the Father in selfless love in the Eucharist.

Although our Church has faced many challenges throughout its 2,000 year history, the complete and whole truth exists within the Catholic Church alone. Many fallen-away Catholics have walked away from the truth, not because they deny the truth, but because they never learned it, or have misunderstood it. We can teach the truth to others by living out our Catholic faith authentically in thought, word, and deed, and by meeting people where they are in their lives.

As Catholics, it is our responsibility to teach the truth about our Faith, but we must not judge or condemn others for their past choices or decisions. We need to help them see that God loves them so much that He desires for them to change their lives, so they can become who God intended them to be as His adopted sons and daughters. Living in sin cannot bring true happiness, and God wills for us to be happy. Our Heavenly Father knows what we need, and He gives us that which will bring us eternal happiness with Him in Heaven.

To help our loved ones return to the Church, we need to pray and offer sacrifices, especially during this Easter Season. Let us remember that God's will be done in His time, not ours. We cannot refuse the embrace of the Good Shepherd, who leaves the ninety-nine in search of the one. Jesus will always wait patiently for us to return to Him, no matter how far we stray. The Father rejoices on the day the "Prodigal Son" returns home, as there is more joy in Heaven for the one sinner who repents than for the ninety-nine righteous ones. (Luke 15:7)