Luke 15: 1-10
This
Sunday our gospel (Luke 15: 1-10) is two of the three “lost” stories – the lost
sheep and the lost coin. For some reason we do not get the third lost story –
the lost sons. Never mind.
It
is surprising to hear how often these stories are understood to be about the
need for repentance. Sure Luke does give that editorial edge to it. But there
is very little repenting in these stories, and the stories were told because
Pharisees and Scribes were grumbling about sinners and tax collectors coming to
Jesus, and Jesus not only been ok with that, but welcoming it and even celebrating
this by eating with them – not the done thing socially or religiously! Even
then there is no indication these tax collectors or sinners were repenting.
Just searching.
Rather
than being about repentance these are stories filled with loss, searching,
finding, relief and communal celebration. They invited the original hearers to
name their own sense of loss, their own seeking, and to join the party of the found.
They invite us to do the same.
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