“The Word spoke, and by these words he turned man away from disobedience, not enslaving him by force or necessity, but inviting him to choose freedom of his own accord.”  -St. Hippolytus

Luke 15:1-10: The tax collectors and the sinners, meanwhile, were all seeking his company to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them: ‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? Rejoice with me, he would say I have found my sheep that was lost. In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance. Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours? Rejoice with me, she would say I have found the drachma I lost. In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.’

Christ the Lord If one of the self-righteous Pharisees had possessed the power and authority of Christ, he would have destroyed all the “sinners.” But Christ deploys all his power and authority to bring them back into communion with God. Once again we see that the Pharisees’ idea of God is off base. They see God as harsh and judgmental, when the truth is that God is a dedicated shepherd. The return of a sinner actually makes God rejoice – as the shepherd rejoices upon retrieving his sheep, and as the woman rejoices upon recovering her coin. The parables show us that God feels anxiousness in regards to sinners, not anger; he wants them back, he doesn’t want to condemn them. The Pharisees can’t understand this, because they have painted their image of God in their own likeness. They enjoy condemning others for being less perfect than themselves, because it feeds their vanity, making them feel superior. But the Lord has no vanity, only love. If we are to be his followers, we need to see him as he really is and work to become more like him.

The Pharisees were impossible to please. They found fault with everything Jesus did. But he never gave up trying to win them over. Here, when they complain about his rubbing shoulders with tax collectors and sinners, he responds by telling them some of the most beautiful stories in all of Scripture – pleading with them to soften their hearts and accept God’s mercy. The Lord rules, but he rules wisely and mercifully, and his patience never wears thin, no matter how sorely we try it.

Christ the Teacher The parables always teach us about ourselves. The lost sheep is helpless and vulnerable; it needs the flock and the shepherd to protect and guide it. Just so, every person is created to find meaning and fulfillment in communion with God and others – thus the two great commandments of loving God and loving neighbor. The lost coin is completely without value unless it is possessed by its owner. Even if it had been a gold piece worth 1000 drachmas, it would be completely worthless buried in the dust under the sofa – of absolutely no use to anyone. Likewise, each of us has a mission in life, a purpose and a task, but its proper place is within Christ’s Kingdom. Outside of the Kingdom we can do wonderful things and have exciting adventures, but everything we do is utterly unsubstantial, like a puff of smoke, unless it’s plugged into eternity through God’s saving grace. Our lives only have real meaning through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ – otherwise they’re just tasteless wafers of unleavened bread.

These parables also show the truth about the sacrament of confession. Far from a drudgery or manipulative coercion, this sacrament is God’s way of making it as simple and direct as possible for us to come back into the fold and set the bells of his heart ringing.

Christ the Friend These two parables teach us more about the heart of God than a whole library full of theological treatises. God cares about each one of us (he will not rest if only one sheep is missing, or one coin is lost). He cares deeply enough to go out of his way to save us when we are lost (it was certainly an inconvenience to go bushwhacking after the foolish stray sheep, and to light the lamp and sweep the dirt-floored house trying to find the lost coin). He rejoices when we return to him – he actually rejoices. Every sinner who returns to God causes joyful celebration in the halls of heaven and in the heart of the Father.

A shepherd counts his sheep after a long day of grazing, as the sun goes down. One is missing. He counts again. Yes, one sheep has wandered away from the flock. High on the mountainside pasture, the air is already getting cold as daylight fades. The flock huddles together. The shepherd leads them into a natural hollow under an overhanging cliff. He turns around and retraces his steps; he sets out to find the lost sheep. He stumbles over sharp rocks in the lengthening shadows. He has to climb off the path, pushing through brambles and thorns. He pulls his cloak tighter around him to keep out the chill. It starts to drizzle. Will the wolves come out in the rain? There is no moon tonight, and the clouds block out the stars. Maybe he should turn back while he can still find his way. He will come and search for the lost sheep in the morning. A wolf howls. The morning may be too late. He trudges on. The mud is slippery. The wind picks up. Water drips down the back of his neck. Soon he is soaked to the skin. The night crawls on. He will find his sheep. That’s what matters. He is a good shepherd.

Christ in My Life Unless you make my heart more like yours, I will continue judging my neighbor just like the Pharisees. Unless you give me a deeper experience of your goodness, I will keep slipping into the wrong idea about you. I see the Pharisee in myself, Lord, and I don’t want him to win out. I want to be your ambassador, not your adversary…

I was that lost coin, and you found me. I have been the lost sheep many times, and you have always come after me. Thank you, Lord. I don’t thank you as often as I should. I am glad you haven’t given up on me. Now, please teach me to be like you, to seek and find lost coins and lost sheep, so I can repay your love to me by bringing joy to your heart…

How patient you were with the stubborn, self-righteous Pharisees! Pour some of that patience into my heart, Lord. I have too short a fuse. I know I’m acting like a fool when I harp on others and become exasperated with them – as if I were perfect. Help me to think more about the good of my neighbor than the satisfaction of my own desires. Teach me to love as you love…

EDITOR’S NOTE: You may hear only this reading on Sunday. This is the permitted shorter reading for this coming Sunday’s Mass. If your parish customarily reads the longer reading for Mass, you will ALSO hear “the rest of the story” found in Father Bartunek’s subsequent post on Luke 15:11-32 on line today by clicking here.

PS: This is just one of 303 units of Fr. John’s fantastic book The Better Part. To learn more about The Better Part or to purchase in print, Kindle or iPhone editions, click here. Also, please help us get these resources to people who do not have the funds or ability to acquire them by clicking here.

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Art: Cover of The Better Part used with permission. The Lost Drachma, James Tissot, between 1886 and 1894, PD-US author’s life plus 100 years or less, Wikimedia Commons.