Thoughts which deliver me to Jesus, and the Cross, and there meeting His people:

“If a man has a hundred sheep but one of the sheep gets lost, he will leave the other ninety-nine on the hill and go to look for the lost sheep. 13 I tell you the truth, if he finds it he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that were never lost. 14 In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want any of these little children to be lost.  Matthew 18:12-14 NCV

The salvation of the individual is complete and entire only when the salvation of the universe and of all the elect has been accomplished, because the redeemed are not just near one another in heaven. On the contrary, by being with one another as the one Christ, they are heaven

One can teach spiritual theory all day, and teach it accurately. But our Lord seems to place more value on imitation than book knowledge….

Forth from the mansions of the sky
He leaves His Father’s throne;
He comes to earth for man to die—
For sinners to atone.
The promised seed a Virgin bears—
The Son of God our nature wears;
He who saw countless ages run,
Now comes to earth a Virgin’s Son.

In the hymn from Luther, it is interesting that he starts by identifying Jesus’ intent to die for “man,” then transistions quickly to the plural–noting His death atones for “sinners,” and that Jesús will wear “our:” nature. An English teacher may comment on htis interesting shift, and the theologian may ponder it, but the simple disciple may understand it.

Man is all of us, and without all of us, we aren’t the same as we are. The widow and widower recognizes this, as does the empty nest parent, or the child who fins themselves a thousand miles away from those he knows loves him. Pastors know it as well, when a church member’s voice isn’t heard confessing the creed with everyone else, or singing a favored hymn, The missing voices in our lives create a dissonance, one we can’t understand at first…. but soon we realize it and grieve.

This is why the shepherd goes after the missing sheep – the flock isn’t write without them there. and why all heaven rejoices when just one of 3 billion people is recreated as God transforms them in baptism, as Jesus and His love is revealed – and they experience His love and peace, and come to depend on Him! This is the Father’s moment to feast, to party – even to dance! For the body of Christ, the family of God is a little more complete.

Cardinal Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI comments on this phenomena, with a mind-blowing explanation – that my salvation isn’t complete until yours is, until everyone’s is. (That includes those we struggle to tolerate – nevermind like and love!) That is heaven, when the entire people of God are one with Him, in His presence–and those who’ve gone before us through death simply await the perfection that is coming, as God unites us all in Christ Jesus.

To save one then, is simply another step to that perfection–the fulfillment of the plan found in Christ Jesus

Fr. John Hanson’s testifies to about this in a unique way, as he reduces knowing what to its proper place. It is one thing to teach the theology and scriptures about baptism, it is a far greater thing to see the miracle of Baptism occur. It is one thing to talk about the five stages of grief, a far greater thing to hold the hand of one grieving, reminding them that the Holy Spirit is there, comforting both of you as you laugh and cry together.

We are the Family of God – and we are complete the more we are together in the presence of God. That is why communion is so amazing, so great a time of awe, as in that moment, we experience that love and unity and peace. Even if we can’t put words to it.

We are the one Christ came for, to heal, to unite us to Him, to make us one…. completed on the day He returns.

And how I look forward to that day…. Amen!

Joseph Ratzinger, Co-Workers of the Truth: Meditations for Every Day of the Year, ed. Irene Grassl, trans. Mary Frances McCarthy and Lothar Krauth (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1992), 375.

Fr. John Hanson, Coached by Josemaria Escriva: Lessons in Discipleship, Scepter 2023 p.5

Martin Luther and John Hunt, The Spiritual Songs of Martin Luther: From the German, trans. Thomas Clark (London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co., 1853), 29.