3rd Sunday after Pentecost 13 June 2010 Sermon

3rd Sunday after Pentecost 13.6.10 The worth of each person

Having just celebrated the feast of the Sacred Heart today’s parable reinforces our understanding of God’s intense desire to save us.

That God would go to such lengths (Incarnation, Crucifixion) to save us shows that we are valuable to Him.

It is necessary that we understand our true worth before God.

These days a great deal is said about self-esteem; a lot of it is not grounded in Christian understanding. True self-esteem must be based on a proper relationship with God, beginning in humility, a sense of gratitude to God, of trust in Him, of putting myself entirely in His hands - what I will do, how long I live etc.

Ps 138: He has created me; He knows every thought, every move etc. I cannot hide, nor should I want to.

Recognition of God’s importance gives me true sense of my own importance.

God does value me and if so then I must be important. I could be despised by every other person on earth but if God thinks I am important then I must be. Not ‘hey, look at me, I’m important’ - as though better than others. More in gratitude that He has made me so.

And then, do everything to let Him save me. If the Good Shepherd is looking for me then why am I hiding?

People self-destruct through sin, trying to advance their position but really making it worse. The only way to make it work is to submit totally to His will... into Thy hands O Lord, I commend my spirit...

If I am important then so are you. I thought I was special but now I am just one of the billions. A man cannot have ten wives and give himself to each one as if he had only one, but God can give Himself totally to each person as though he/she is the only one. I do not lose any way because He also loves you.

No place for envy here. My own lack of self worth may want others to be kept down, but in His view He can give gifts lavishly all round and I am not missing out. I have everything I need for happiness. He forgives others, good. He gives them gifts I don’t have, good.

This is not a competitive thing in the same way as, say, the sporting world. I do not have to be better than you, only better than myself yesterday. If we must compete we could ‘outdo one another in showing honour’. (Romans 12,10)


We generally don’t like losing but if you are holier than I am then I should be happy with that. Whatever contributes to the glory of God.

Other people: we can find all sorts of ways of distancing ourselves from them. The attitude required: to want what is best for others - ultimately salvation, union with God. As far as possible happiness in this life as well.

So we become concerned for what happens to others. More concerned than just for our family or friends, and more concerned than just for physical or material wellbeing. Concerned for eternal life; wanting others to have what God wants them to have.

We become shepherds as well as sheep under this scheme. Notice that in the Gospel the angels rejoice. If we were angels we might not care what happens to sinners, but a real angel does have the mind of God and does care. We are moving into that frame of mind.

These days we talk of people ‘finding themselves’. They will do that if they place themselves with Christ. May all the lost sheep find their way home!