Weekly THIS AND THAT for February 28, 2010: What's Lost Can Always Be Found

This and That:
What’s Lost Can Always Be Found


In Chapter 15 of St. Luke’s gospel, we have three stories of what God is like. Each story is given to us by Jesus Himself. Our image of God is very important because how we look at God will influence how we respond to Him.

Jesus is eating with some publicans and sinners. The scribes and Pharisees come up and ask: “What on earth are you doing? Why would you have anything to do with these people? And Jesus told them three stories. The first is the story of the lost sheep. Remember, it wasn’t the lost lamb who sought Jesus out! Then there is the story of the lost coins. Remember, this is not an economics lesson. Each coin was sought because each is important, just as each lamb is important. However, then comes the craziest story of them all. Can you imagine a young Jewish or Arabic boy coming up to his father and essentially saying, “I wish you were dead so I could have my inheritance now.” This would have broken every rule of etiquette. But, the real corker is that the father says, “Yes, my son, your portion will be prepared for you..

The son sets out and lives high, wide, and handsome. Until, of course, the money runs out. So, one day, he says to himself, “I’m starving. Its unpleasant. I’ll get up and go home, where my father’s slaves have it better than I do.” Now, the father must have been on the look-out every day in hopes his son would return. One day he went out and saw a spot on the distant road. And now comes one seemingly ridiculous point after another.

First of all, he told his servants to go get some gifts. While this was happening, he ran out after his son, and embraced him. At about this time, the servants showed up with the things the Father had sent them to get. Each one is a story in itself.

The first gift was the shoes. Obviously, the son needed them. But, only sons wore shoes, not the servants. So, the son learns right away that he isn’t taken back as a servant, but as a son. Also, the shoes meant that the father was giving him a new standing point for his life.

Next comes the gown. The dad puts the gown over the stinking swine swill from the pigs the boy had been tending. With this filth covered over, the robe means that the boy is to receive a new attitude towards life. But, there is more. The father wants to throw a big party, and everyone is invited. Now, the elder son receives an invitation but doesn’t attend. But what is the point of the party? That whenever someone receives God’s loving embrace, and loving forgiveness, everyone who comes into contact with that person will be different. Once we have opened ourselves up to God’s touch in our lives, we can’t help but share this generously with ALL other people, without exception.

Remember, according to Jesus, God is like that father.

So the question is: when have you ever come home after making a huge mess of your life, and been treated in this way? God is beyond good, and beyond generous!

Lets us spend the rest of Lent, disciplining ourselves to turn to God, seek His values, His ideals, His principles, and know a forgiveness, and a love, and joy, that belies description.

Love and prayers,

Dr. Jack Buchner
Director of Religious Education