From today's gospel: "So to them [Jesus] addressed this parable. '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? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 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.'"
De La Salle (Med. 196.1): "Consider Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd of the Gospel, who seeks the lost sheep, puts it on his shoulders, and carries it back to restore it to the fold. Because you are taking his place, consider that you are obliged to do the same thing."
There is nothing quite like grading to allow us to "discover" the lost sheep. But grading also reminds us that there are lost sheep who have returned to the fold: "Wow! I had a feeling there was some improvement, but look at that!", "Hey, so-and-so isn't on the ineligible list!", "Wow, she really did study for the big test!" I love those moments, because they remind us that we are trying to be the shepherd that Jesus and De La Salle tell us that we should be. So let's celebrate! For the student who came back from a D or an F to a B or C, did we put a celebratory comment in PowerSchool? Send a note home or call parents? Make it a point to congratulate them on the way out of class? Perhaps we can make this week a party for our returned sheep.
Live, Jesus, in our hearts!