It is 6th December 2016. We celebrate the memory of St. Nicholas, the Bishop. He is the one introduced the character of Santa Clause. He is the patron of children, sailors, and ships providing them safe voyage, prisoners, the unjustly condemned, and the patron for young women seeking marriage partners. The readings are from Isaiah 40:1-11; and the Gospel from Matthew 18:12-14. The first reading consoles God’s people that their sins have been atoned for, the slavery is ended and God never forget God’s flock. Yes, God punishes for our iniquities yet God does not abandon us. “God is like a shepherd feeding God’s flock, gathering lambs in the arms, holding them against the breast and gently leading those that have young.” (Is.40:11). God wants to restore the dignity of God’s people as God did when they returned from the Babylonian exile. The evil system will be destroyed by God. Comfort comes from the Lord. When life is falling apart, let us ask God to comfort us. Because God alone can lead us again to the greenest pastures of our lives from the desert of sins. We all need to prepare a straight highway for the Lord by seriously removing the mountains of sins and the valley of lust. Our life is in the hands of the Lord. Our life is mortal but God is immortal and eternal and therefore the lasting peace and solutions to whatever we go through comes from the Lord. God is presented as a shepherd gently caring and guiding God’s people. In Psalm 23 God is presented as the Shepherd; in John 10:11, 14 we read the Good Shepherd; in Hebrews 13:20 as the Great Shepherd; and in 1 Pet.5:4 as the Chief Shepherd. God cares for the defenceless children with God’s caring and safety. The responsorial Verse prays, “Here is our God coming with power.” (Is.40:9). The Gospel reassures us that God is looking for us untiringly and it is not the will of God that we be lost in the wilderness of evil and sin. God is seriously looking for us and would rejoice when God finds us. God wants us to be found and let us not hide and sink in the churning pleasures of sins. May God bless you to find God. Have a good day.