OUR LOST THINGS AND HOW TO GET THEM BACK
“Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’
So to them he 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? . . .
‘Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it. . . .
‘A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
“Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ . . .”’ Luke 15:1-32
The three stories Jesus tells seem to have been chosen by Jesus to correct the off-base thinking of the Pharisees and, perhaps, our own present-day off-base thinking. They are given as instruction to all of us that we may be focusing our time and our attention of things that do not matter, especially to us who know deep down inside that we are meant to be disciples. Jesus must have wondered, “Why don’t they get it? What can I say and do so that they can get back to what the Father intended for them?” Is not that the primary reason why Jesus came?
EXAMPLES IN OUR MIDST TODAY
This was driven home to me as I listened to a eulogy given for one of our parishioners by her nephew. Click here to read the eulogy. We are all disciples and there are some among us who “get that” and are responding to that better than others, myself included. Our lives are more “on target” when we avail ourselves of their presence, experience their God-centeredness, their joy in having discovered this, and when we let their God-centeredness take root in us. Try it. You will be enriching yourself beyond anything that the world has to offer you!
STUDY THE BIBLE
In order to put the above Gospel passage in context, please read this from the Introduction to the Gospel of Luke in the online Revised New American Bible. You will get a fuller understanding of Bible passages if you take advantage of these Bible passage comments and if you attend some of our parish Adult Faith sessions. (Consult the bulletin and the weekly parish emails.)
”Throughout the gospel, Luke calls upon the Christian disciple to identify with the master Jesus, who is caring and tender toward the poor and lowly, the outcast, the sinner, and the afflicted, toward all those who recognize their dependence on God[1], but who is severe toward the proud and self-righteous, and particularly toward those who place their material wealth before the service of God and his people[2]. No gospel writer is more concerned than Luke with the mercy and compassion of Jesus. [3]
No gospel writer is more concerned with the role of the Spirit in the life of Jesus and the Christian disciple, [4] with the importance of prayer[5] , or with Jesus’ concern for women[6] ,. While Jesus calls all humanity to repent[7] , he is particularly demanding of those who would be his disciples. Of them he demands absolute and total detachment from family and material possessions. [8] To all who respond in faith and repentance to the word Jesus preaches, he brings salvation[9] and peace[10] and live[11] .
I pray for you daily. May you find the you God intends you to be in this life. And I hope that you are able to join us at our St. Michael 150th Anniversary Gala in honor of our beloved parishioners of the past, present and future.
Sister Loretta
[1] Lk 4:18; 6:20–23; 7:36–50; 14:12–14; 15:1–32; 16:19–31; 18:9–14; 19:1–10; 21:1–4
[2] Lk 6:24–26; 12:13–21; 16:13–15, 19–31; 18:9–14, 15–25; cf. Lk 1:50–53
[3] Lk 7:41–43; 10:29–37; 13:6–9; 15:11–32
[4] Lk 1:35, 41; 2:25–27; 4:1, 14, 18; 10:21; 11:13; 24:49
[5] Lk 3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:28; 11:1–13; 18:1–8
[6] Lk 7:11–17, 36–50; 8:2–3; 10:38–42
[7] Lk 5:32; 10:13; 11:32; 13:1–5; 15:7–10; 16:30; 17:3–4; 24:47
[8] Lk 9:57–62; 12:32–34; 14:25–35
[9] Lk 2:30–32; 3:6; 7:50; 8:48, 50; 17:19; 19:9