Oct 6 Fri
Insist, whether you are welcome or not.
"The straying sheep you have not recover; the lost sheep you have not sought." Sometimes, the sheep are insolent. The shepherd seeks out the straying sheep, but because they have wandered away, they are lost.
Then, the sheep claim that they do not belong to the Shepherd. “Why do you want us? Why do you seek us?” they ask, as if their straying and being lost were not the very reason for our wanting them, and seeking them out.
“If I have gone astray,” one says, “if I am lost, why do you still want me?”
– You have gone astray, that is why I want to recall you. You have been lost; I want to find you.
“But I want to go away,” he says: “I want to be lost.”
– So, you want to go astray and be lost? Thank God that I do not wish this for you.
You tell me that I am unwelcome. But I hear the Apostle saying: "Preach the word; insist upon it, whether you are welcome and unwelcome."
Welcome by whom? Unwelcome by whom? By all means, welcome by those who desire the truth; unwelcome by those who do not.
If I am unwelcome, I will tell you: “You want to go astray, you want to be lost; but I do not want this for you.” And the One whom I fear does not desire this.
If I were to let you go, consider his reproach: "The straying sheep you have not recovered; the lost sheep you have not sought." Shall I fear you, rather than Him? "Remember, we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ."
I will try to bring back those who went astray; I shall seek the lost. Whether difficult or easy. And should the thorns of the forests tear at me when I seek them, I shall force myself to push through; I shall put down all barriers. So far as the God whom I fear grants me the strength, I shall search everywhere.
I shall recover those who went astray; I shall seek those about to be lost. If you do not want me to suffer, do not go astray, do not get lost.
It is not only that I fear you getting lost. No, I am also afraid that I may neglect you, and get lost.
I shall face strong obstacles. Consider the passage: "And what was strong you have destroyed." If I neglect the straying and the lost, the strong faithful sheep will also try to go away, and get lost.
St Augustine, Sermon On Pastors
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