In both the First Reading and the Gospel, we hear proclaimed the immense value of the human soul, but from different perspectives. St. Paul covers the topic from our perspective, while Jesus reveals to us God’s view of the immense value of our souls.
From Our Perspective
St. Paul writes:
But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. (Phil 3:7-8)
We can liken this knowledge of Jesus Christ to charity (divine life) in the soul. All the other goods a person has, be they physical or spiritual, are worthless in comparison with sharing in Christ’s divine life. Since it is the soul, rather than the body, in which this divine life dwells, it is clear to see that we must do whatever it takes to protect our souls from harm! This truth is emphasized by our Lord when he says, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna,* into the unquenchable fire.” (Mk. 9:44) While our Lord does not actually want us to cut off our hands, that is the level of sacrifice we should be willing to endure to avoid harming our souls by sin.
From God’s Perspective
In Jesus’ parable of the shepherd leaving the ninety-nine sheep, we get a glimpse into how much God values our souls! While we must be willing to do anything to care for our souls, Jesus shows us that He is willing to do the same. He is willing to leave behind everything, His comfort, His mother, and His very life in order to redeem our souls and save them from death. And the angels in heaven rejoice as they see our invaluable souls snatched from death by His saving actions.
The love of Jesus Christ for our souls must compel us even more to take any means necessary to preserve them from harm. Seeing all the labors and pains that our Creator and God has endured for our sake should engrave in our hearts clear understanding of the value of the souls God has given to us. We should never doubt our dignity or take sin lightly. To do so would be to ignore the great love that Jesus is constantly pouring out upon us.
