Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

MY SAVIOR

“The Son of Man has come to search out

 and save what was lost.” —Luke 19:10

Although God is omnipotent and almighty, He rebukes us gently, little by little, so that we may be able to bear it and be encouraged by His mercy to grow in faith, obedience, and holiness.

Thus, Jesus stayed with sinners. He came to seek and save sinners (Lk 19:10). Even at the end of His life, Jesus was crucified between two sinners (Lk 23:33). He was made to be sin, as it were, for those who need salvation from sin (2 Cor 5:21). Sinners at least are in the position to eventually know they need Jesus (see Lk 18:9ff). Self-righteous people don’t think they need Jesus. They are in danger of becoming, in effect, their own gods and not realizing they are in need of a Savior.

We need to realize that we cannot save ourselves (Ps 49:8Is 26:18). We are less than “a drop of morning dew” (Wis 11:22). Once we know that our salvation is in God and in Him alone, we then know that we cannot stand before God on our own. God is far greater than the universe, and we are so small before Him. We need a Savior. The Good News is that we have a Savior! (Acts 4:12) Accept Jesus, “the Savior of the world” (Jn 4:42).