Tuesday 11 December

Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 95 (96):1-3, 10-13; Matthew 18:12-14

What do you think?

In Matthew 18, Jesus talks about ‘the church’ as a community of relationship and practices through which its members are to sustain each other in the demanding way of the cross. They are to care for ‘the little ones.’ Despite this, people can go astray. The degree of care for such a one is laid out in the parable of the shepherd, which begins with the challenge of Jesus, ‘What do you think?’ In other words: Offer an opinion! Consider! Think! How do I cope with those who stray? Do I search? Do I rejoice or do I judge?