THE LAST, THE LEAST, AND THE LOST

 

THE LAST, THE LEAST, AND THE LOST 

There’s a joke about the seeming inability of the Church to be effective. The  parable in today’s Gospel is reversed, i.e., only one sheep is inside the cage and  the ninety-nine outside. In the case of the coin, the woman is now looking  for the nine coins while holding only one. Of course, this joke is the Church  basher’s way of showing Her irrelevance and dwindling influence. But the  parable was not about the ones mentioned. In fact, it was the reverse. God,  through the Church, cares for all. Whether ninety-nine or one, He still goes  out of His way to look for the lost. Nobody is left behind. Later, He will die  on the cross not for the holy few but for all. 

I remember how my father who, no matter what time he went home at  night, would still take time to visit us in our rooms to make sure that all his  eight children were accounted for. While there wasn’t a time when we were  incomplete, I’m sure my father would not have slept until the missing ones  were back. I can deduce this because, during meals, we would not say grace  until everyone was seated. God is like that. He will never stop until everyone  has gone back to Him. 

This does not mean that those who have tried hard to obey God every day  of their lives would be treated less. The response of the Father to the elder son’s  question in the parable reverberates: “My son, you are here with Me always;  everything I have is yours” (Luke 15:31). Instead of dwelling on what has been  given to the lost, appreciate what you have with God. Also, the probability of  being the lost one rather than the one under His favor is greater. When that  happens, are you not glad to be given another chance and be welcomed? 

Many times, we cannot fathom what God wants and does. Indeed, God’s  ways are not man’s ways. His love is best expressed in forgiveness. Rather than  analyze and criticize it, why don’t we just do it? In the end, what God wants  should prevail—that all of us will be with Him. So be it! Fr. Benny Tuazon

REFLECTION QUESTION 

How do you treat those who are far away from the Church? 

Lord, give me a heart that embraces the last, the least, and the lost. At the same time, I pray that  I may never be lost from Your sight. Amen. 

Today, I pray for: __________________________________________________________