"Like a Shepherd"

Today the Church celebrates the Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent. It also celebrates the memory of Saint Nicholas, bishop.

Today's assigned first reading is is Isaiah 40:1-11, which includes the following:

Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings;
Cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news!
Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God!
Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm;
Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him.
Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs,
Carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.

Today's assigned Gospel reading is Matthew 18:12-14:

Jesus said to his disciples: "What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost."

These readings bring to mind the song Bob Dufford/Saint Louis Jesuits song "Like A Shepherd":