Tuesday, April 9, 2019
“God is not withdrawn, waiting for humans to come begging, but is actively seeking those who are lost”. (Senior Reading Guide 431)
Today we read three parables that speak to us about how deeply God loves us; it is important for us to hear them often.
The parable of the shepherd who leaves the flock to search for the lost sheep is also told by Matthew (18:12-14) and it presents for us a perfect image of God as we begin our Lenten journey. He sets [the sheep] on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, “Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep”. In this season of repentance we must remain faithful to God, calling on God for help when we realize that we can go no further alone down the road of life.
Luke tells us that God will call out continually for the lost.
Luke tells us that God will search endlessly for the lost.
Luke tells us that God will always welcome home all those who were once lost.
We draw strength from Isaiah 40:28-31 in which we are told that God always persists, God never fades, God never gives up. Do you not know or have you not heard? The Lord is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not grow faint or grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny. He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound. Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, they that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.
And so we pray . . .
Good and gracious God, how is it that you never lose patience with us when we believe we do not need you in our lives? Why is it that you love us despite all our turnings away from you? When will we begin to understand the depth and the breadth of your love?
Great and loving God, we know that for you we are pearls of great price. We understand that because of you we are temples in which you hope to dwell. We believe that you will ceaselessly call us back to you so that like the sheep, the coin and the erring child . . . we are never truly lost.
Amen.
A re-post from February 23, 2012.
Images from: http://www.hansgruener.de/docs_e/krippen/e_strassenkrippe.htm and http://saints.sqpn.com/parable-of-the-lost-coin/ and http://transformingordinary2extraordinary.blogspot.com/2010/04/school-paper-prodigal-son.html
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