Luke 15:1-10
1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So he told them this parable: 4 “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’
7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
8 “Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’
10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Lost and Found
Jesus is teaching about two types of loss. The first is about something a person owns, like a coin or a lamb that the owner goes looking for. The second is a loss resulting from a decision made by a person with free will, who is able to think and, despite her/his choices, God keeps looking for them.
The first two examples in this Sunday’s reading remind us of how any loss remains dear to the owner, who keeps looking until he finds it. When the lost is found, the owner shares his joy with others, forgetting all the trouble he went through as he was searching.
We are already familiar with the way Jesus invites us to think and consider more deeply about our prejudgements and evaluations of the facts that we meet in life.
Jesus has never given up looking for the lost. He takes the first initiative to look for, find and save. He shares His joy with the angels of heaven and the loving people on earth!
Instead of categorizing and classifying people as sinners who do not deserve our respect, Jesus invites us to give them more love and care, doing our best to see them following Jesus.
Do we have the courage to go beyond and keep looking for the lost until they are found?
If we keep looking for any lost item that belongs to us, how can we grumble against God’s seeking? He is the true owner of our souls. Jesus, out of love and mercy, will keep looking for the lost until His return. He will retrieve them and they will discover how dear they are in God’s eyes.
May we know how to join the Lord in looking for the lost with loving energy, and be determined not to lose hope to find them!