Faith Question for the Week

“Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost,” said the woman in Jesus’ parable.

Luke offers three parables in a row of losing, searching, and finding. On the surface, they’re about God’s extravagant love. What a comfort to know how far God goes for us! 

But what about when God seeks people we’re convinced aren’t worth it? Will we rejoice to be left alone with the 99 and even lost? Gladly go without meals or clean clothes for a week? Because that’s the flip side of this found coin.

On another level, these parables are maps. Failure, humiliation, and loss are part of life. In fact, much more suffering comes by trying to avoid suffering! Father Richard Rohr says, “So we must stumble and fall, I’m sorry to say.”

And stumbling and falling is the way home. We find we survive stumbling and falling. And more, we grow. What grace! We may not regain what we lost, but we do discover a new self. Stronger, more flexible, more generous.

What losses taught you the most or gave you the most to offer others? Ask Jesus to find you in your suffering and bring your home.

--PC