(James Tissot)
" . . . searching carefully until she finds it."
" ... your brother was dead and has come back to life again."
Luke 15: 1-32
One of the most popular shows on the PBS station is called
"Antiques Road Show." Folks
from all over the country bring all sorts of items, preferably those of
"antique" quality, in order to have them appraised. Everything from art work, sculpture,
tapestries, clothing, documents, and books, along with a host of other items,
shows up. Everyone dreams that maybe
their item will bear good news and be appraised for some great value. What they
bought at a yard sale for a few dollars may wind up being of far greater worth
than they ever imagined. Everyone hopes to find that great treasure.
Our Gospel this Sunday is the fifteenth chapter of Luke. It is
rare that an entire chapter of any of the Evangelists would be quoted as the
Sunday reading. Yet, this unique and
beautiful writing is priceless. It reveals a fundamental truth of God's nature –
his never ending search for the lost and his overwhelming forgiveness. In three very beautiful parables, the last
one of the prodigal son, Jesus speaks to a skeptical crowd of both those
learned in the law (Scribes and Pharisees) and a mixed bag of tax collectors
and sinners.
A lost coin, a wandering sheep and an ungrateful son all
provide a fundamental lesson of who God is and of what he thinks of us;
particularly how he views us when we are lost or wander away and squander the
grace he offers to us. I can only imagine what the crowd around Jesus appeared
like as part of them hung on his every word and drew near to him while the
other part held back offering only a critical eye.
In the end the two parables which open the chapter remind us
that in the eyes and heart of God, every human person, regardless of their
status or condition, is of priceless value.
Far more than anything that might be valued of costly antique quality.
The lost sheep and the coin provide a symbolic image of
ourselves. Sheep are notoriously not the brightest of animals. They follow the herd and the voice of their
shepherd with seemingly no forethought for their own safety. This one sheep which Jesus refers to, had
strayed away from the safety of the group.
Perhaps it was injured, overly curious or the like. Yet, he had wandered into danger so the
shepherd went in search. Leaving the
other 99 in harm’s way more or less, he considers this one valuable enough to
rescue it - a good shepherd indeed. Once
found, he rejoices.
The coin was just a coin.
Perhaps it fell out of a bag or the owners pocket or more likely was
part of the dress common to women who wore them around their heads. Nonetheless, the woman diligently searches
and when finding it, she invites her friends and neighbors to a party for
celebration. That was some coin! Either that or the town folk considered her a
bit nuts to get so excited over one coin while she still had nine more.
Then, something of priceless value is introduced in a similar
context. The son of a father whose
ingratitude is shocking by requesting his inheritance before his father's
death, insults his father and thereby wished him dead, wanders away from his
Father's house and lives a life in shame and self-indulgence, Wasting all he
was given, eating pig food, in desperation he decides to go back not knowing
what kind of reception he will receive.
Like the shepherd who rejoiced and the woman who threw a party,
this father behaves far more like a loving Jewish mother than a father of that
culture. He embraces, kisses, and calls
for a town party to celebrate the new life his son has found. Such irrational
behavior on the part of the shepherd, the woman and especially the father in
our three parables is over the top of what we might expect.
But these are images of what God is like. Jesus reminds those in his audience, as he
points especially to the sinners in a bold manner, that they are being invited
back to their Father's house. God loves them so much that he will rejoice along
with the angels in heaven if only one of them turn back to his all-embracing
arms. We well know that we are among the sheep who wanders the misplaced coin
and certainly we find ourselves given to selfishness and rebellion before the
God who has given us more than we deserve.
If we could just wrap our heads around that. God is searching for me even when I stray
farthest away from him. That's how much you are valued in the eyes of God.
That's how God views our sin and hopes we will turn back from it. We will be welcomed not with condemnation but
with grace. When we celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation the worst that
could happen is that your sin will be forgiven.
We are given grace not because we deserve it or because we have
some kind of special favor from God above others. But because God's nature is to be love
itself. He will relentlessly pursue us
whether we like it or not. "Come
back. Come home." He calls to us each day. Jesus, his own Son, is the fleshly proof of
that.
Our gathering for Eucharist and who we receive is given not
because of our good behavior but because of God's overflowing love for us. This sacred food for the journey, Christ
himself, provides that grace and strength that even if we do wander a distance,
miss the mark through our sin, we will never forget where our true home lies.
Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation, the Joy of the
Gospel, beautifully puts it this way:
"Whenever we take a
step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us
with open arms . . . How good it feels to come back to him, whenever we are
lost!" (EG 3).
Think of this the next time you feel unappreciated, unloved,
taken advantage of, or so far gone that God is simply too busy with the good
people to care. That's not thinking as
God thinks.
Look upon us, O God,
Creator and ruler of all things,
and, that we may feel the working of your
mercy,
grant that we may serve you with all our
heart.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
(Collect of Mass)
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