{"id":6233,"date":"2017-01-28T03:30:57","date_gmt":"2017-01-28T08:30:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicbookblogger\/?p=6233"},"modified":"2017-01-22T12:12:00","modified_gmt":"2017-01-22T17:12:00","slug":"ninety-angels-one-lost-sheep-angels-day-191","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicbookblogger\/2017\/01\/28\/ninety-angels-one-lost-sheep-angels-day-191\/","title":{"rendered":"Ninety-angels and one lost sheep; Angels: Day 191"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"angels_cyril_of_alexandria_1\"<\/a>OK<\/a>St. Cyril of \u00a0Alexandria suggests an interpretation of \u00a0<\/em>Christ\u2019s <\/em>f<\/em>amous <\/em>pa<\/em>r<\/em>a<\/em>b<\/em>le\u00a0<\/em>of \u00a0the lost sheep: the ninety-nine who were not lost are the angels in <\/em>Hea<\/em>v<\/em>en, <\/em>and the one lost sheep is humanity, which had been lost to sin but is now <\/em>b<\/em>r<\/em>ough<\/em>t <\/em>back with great <\/em>r<\/em>ejoicing<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it?\u201d (Luke 15:4). And if he happens to find it, I tell you truly, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. For the multitude of rational created beings that form Christ\u2019s flock in Heaven and on earth is innumerable, and so great that it even mounts up to a perfect number. For this is what is meant by the term \u201ca hundred.\u201d<\/p>\n

So the companies of the holy angels are the ninety-nine\u2014for, as I said, they are many\u2014but the flock on earth is one, but yet useful to complete the number, and also sought for by Christ. Then did he seek it as what was lost, or as what had not yet been lost? But it is plain that what is lost is sought for. Then how had it been lost? By being brought down into sin: by wandering from the divine will, and going far astray from the universal Shepherd. \u2013St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke<\/em>, Fragment from Sermon 21<\/p>\n

IN GOD\u2019S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .<\/strong><\/p>\n

Am I working with the guardian angels to gather the lost sheep of Christ?<\/p>\n

CLOSING PRAYER<\/strong><\/p>\n

Guardian angels, bring back the straying, enlighten the darkened, and bring <\/em>them all into the way of <\/em>sa<\/em>lva<\/em>tion.<\/em><\/p>\n

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