Strength in true tenderness

The WORD in Other Words by Fr Roderick Salazar SVD (Philippines) for Wednesday Week 2 in Advent

The God who is real became a real man — without losing the strength of the Godhead when He became human, without becoming less of the God that He was by   being more of the human that He became. There is a tenderness in real strength and strength in true tenderness.   

And so in today‘s first reading Isaiah does not hesitate to declare that the strong  and mighty God also knows how to comfort His people, and to speak to them tenderly:   “feed His flock like a shepherd, gather the lambs in His arms, carry them in His bosom,  and gently lead the mother sheep.”   

This is the God alluded to by His Son Jesus in today‘s Gospel when talking about   the lost sheep. A lesser man, indeed, a lesser God would think himself strong or rich enough to afford the loss of one sheep since anyway his ninety-nine others are safe.   But the real man would admit that he would be less of what he is if he lost even just one of what he has. He is confident enough not to be afraid to leave the ninety-nine, and tender enough to look for the lost one. Being searched for and being found is love   most humbling and joy most wonderful.   

I thank You, God, that when I am lost or I go astray, You look for me. I thank You that You feel You are not complete until You find me; that You risk being considered  foolish to search for just me when many more do not need to be found. I then realize I truly am special to you. Strong men are tender. Tender men are strong. Real men wear pink. The real God that You are, You wear love.