May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be now and always acceptable in thy sight O Lord our strength and our redeemer.
I wonder if you have ever misplaced something, lost something valuable? I remember some years ago when I was at uni up in Coleraine. Final Year, Computer Science project
Living Down in Banbridge I commuted down on train to belfast and then bus to banbridge
Traveling weighed down with bags galore ... up and down weekly on the train with laptop, clothes, books and all the rest. One week I get back home one bag is missing with the paper copy of the project and the memory sticks which had the whole project on it! Knowing that it hadn’t been properly backed up for a few weeks- Not Good. Even talking about it now sends shivers up my spine.
Why did paper sheets and a wee electronic chip matter so much? ...
... It was my work
... It belonged to me
... I placed enormous value in this as it was what it would lead to
Phone calls were made To Translink ... did I leave it on train or bus?
To the university to see if I had actually made a back up?
To the coffee shop I sat in while waiting for the train
To the police to see if anyone had handed it in?
All of those proved to be fruitless
Hopeless - the work would probably need to be replaced ... but it had taken weeks and weeks and it was only a week to go before the deadline.
Our gospel reading today speaks of two people who knew what I was going through
Firstly Jesus tells of the shepherd - He counted the flock and discovered one was missing
Then he spoke of the woman who had lost a coin
Both then went searching
Let us take the shepherd as an example:
Like my example
...The shepherds work depended upon him having a full flock
...The sheep was property of the shepherd
...The sheep was valuable to him
None of us like to be separated from the things which we value and mean so much to us.
So often today if we loose things and think ahh well sure I’ll just get another one - but if you have put work and effort into something then we will take the time to search it out and find it.
The two parables which Jesus told are probably two of the clearest he did communicate. The importance of searching, the value of time taken to find and the rejoicing after what is not really valued by others is found.
Who are the Lost in Luke’s Gospel?
Time and again, Jesus speaks about the Lost as those who are on the fringes of society, those who are looked down upon, those who struggle with life, those whom the religious leaders had rejected, those who are described in this passage as sinners
We see in these two parables that the owner, the one who is responsible for them going out of their way to search out and to eventally find and restore the sheep and coin to their rightful place.
We see Jesus going to great lengths to point out the meaning of this parable - that saying that heaven rejoices when an individual is found, when someone who was lost is brought back.
In our gospel we see two ways of lostness -
Firstly the sheep goes wandering - perhaps looking for greener pastures, perhaps simply to explore, perhaps they think that they can find a better shepherd, perhaps they just want to be on their own for a little while
Or in the case of the inanimate object - the coin, the owner simply left it somewhere and can’t remember anything about it. But when it is needed needs to go and discover it. Anyone who has lost car or house keys knows exactly what this is like!
As we apply this passage to our time, to our day
Could we ask ourselves who in our family, our friendship group needs to be found by the good shepherd? who needs to be carried home on his shoulders?, who needs to be welcomed again into the flock?, who needs know the unconditional love and acceptance of the good shepherd?
Who do we know needs to be sought out and given value again?
It is interesting that Jesus puts the hearers of the parable right into the middle of the story - Suppose one of you has 100 sheep
Do you and I as hearers of this parable 2,000 or so years on care for that individual enough to go and search them out when they go wandering?
That is a huge challenge - are we prepared to spend time developing, cultivating relationships in order that we may love those who are wandering, those who have been left aside and can’t be found are indeed found and brought again into a caring, loving community where they can find meaning & purpose, love and friendship in community?
Suppose you had a friend who didn’t go to any church, but you did and you enjoyed going would you not say to that friend why don’t you come along with me next sunday?
We are in the business of being God’s hands, feet and voice in this world - The kingdom of God will only be advanced here if we are prepared to do it, if we are prepared to issue invitations to get involved, if we are prepared to invite, if we are prepared to work for God.
In this parish we are taking the opportunity to reach out to those who are on the fringes of church. In order to do this we are taking part in Back to Church Sunday in a couple of weeks time - are there those we know used to belong to St. Columba’s but for whatever reason have waundered, or perhaps are just sitting back, or perhaps have just forgotten about us. Why not use the invitation to get them here on sunday 26th?
If anyone needs a lift to church on that sunday that can be arranged, if other reasons come up that we can help overcome with give the clergy a ring.
We are all called to search out for those who are on their own, perhaps scared, perhaps anxious, worried about something. But we have a God who is faithful and just who knows our need, who will cleanse us from all sin and re-create in us new life.
Let us do it! Let’s search out those who are wandering, lets come as we are before God.
And just in case you are worrying - on monday morning on the way back up after I lost university work I re-traced my steps, I called in with anyone who looked official in Belfast, on the train and eventually I discovered the parcel office in coleraine bus station and there lo and behold the bag was sitting there.
God does indeed answer prayer!
Lets pray.
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