The Parable of the Lost Sheep. ^1 [a]The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, ² but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” ³ So to them he addressed this parable. ⁴ “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? ⁵ And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy ⁶ and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. – Luke 15: 1-7

This is the verse that came to mind today as I read various opinions about the Syrian refugee crisis.  Should we let them in…should we keep them out…how many…how will they be vetted?

My first reaction was, frankly, fear.  I don’t know who they are and I don’t trust our national government to do a good job of finding out.

Then I found the verse about lost sheep meandering through my cranium I thought, hey, we have to help.  But I’m not sure a wide open door is really the best – or necessarily the Christian – response.

The good shepherd left the 99 to look for the lost one.  These folks from Syria certainly qualify as lost ones (except for those who may be more wolf than sheep).

Before the good shepherd went searching for the one, I’m betting he made sure the 99 were in a safe place with plenty of food and water.  He probably told his trusty dog to keep an eye on them.

What if he found the lost sheep in another shepherd’s flock?  Would he take the whole flock?  No.  He would take the one that was his responsibility.

What if the flock was abandoned?  Well…I’m thinking the good shepherd would have taken them and cared for them.  But out of concern for his own sheep, he likely would check to make sure the new arrivals were not sick.  He would make sure there were no wolves hiding among the lost sheep.

There are so many inflammatory statements floating about.  President Obama said that anyone who opposes Syrian refugees is against widows and children.  That is a ridiculous statement.  In fact, news reports show that more than 70 percent of the refugees are adult men, and some of them likely ISIS members.

After some rather tormented reflection, I came to the conclusion that is it reasonable to demand our government be extremely cautious about who comes into our country.  I want to help widows and children, but I want to make sure they don’t bring any bomb-tossing lunatics with them.

I want to be a good shepherd to the lost sheep – and the sheep already in my family.

Girls will be boys, and boys will be girls.
It’s a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world, 
Except for Lola. Lo lo lo lo Lola.  – The Kinks

This will be extremely politically incorrect, absolute proof to some folks that I’m a Neanderthal.  So be it.

I saw two news television commercials this week that are, to me, rather disgusting.  This puts me at odds with many in the popular media, who are fawning over the ads, calling them “heartwarming” and “sensitive.”

The first ad, for soup, features a little boy and his two fathers.  It tries to present a warm family scene with the two adult men each proclaiming their fatherhood in an imitation of a movie character.  I guess we’re supposed to be happy that two guys are raising this little boy in a celebration of gay domesticity.

As clearly stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, this is disordered.

The second ad features a boy playing with a new doll.  I’m not inspired.

No, there isn’t anything in the catechism about boys playing with dolls.  But it isn’t an activity likely to reinforce male strength.  And as insensitive as it sounds, men today don’t need any more encouragement about being sensitive.  We could use a good bit of masculine reinforcement.

I know.  It sounds so old-fashioned.  But we need manly men, men with the strength to show compassion and tolerance to every human being – but courage to live and state the truth.