God Loves the Lost

Have you ever lost something important to you?

Well, I tend to keep St. Anthony pretty busy. Especially when I’m in a hurry, I play a little game with myself called Hide and Seek with Keys. I hide my keys from myself and then, right when it’s time to leave to go somewhere, I run around the house in search of them. I think it’s more of an attention issue than anything else; the more I have going on, the less I pay attention to where put things, so things get lost. Once I even misplaced my ring – the one I received when I made final profession of vows in my community. I searched high and low, through pockets, bags, garbage cans. I tore apart my office and searched the drain in the shower. Then, two days later, I pulled clothes out of my laundry hamper, and – thunk. There it was on the floor. A sense of relief washed over me. ThankGodthankGodthankGod! A miracle!

If your parish uses the Year C readings this Sunday, you’ll hear the story of the lost son, often referred to as the “prodigal” son. You’ve probably heard this story from the Gospel of Luke a thousand times, and it follows stories about other lost things – first a sheep and then a coin. This so-called prodigal younger son behaves badly. Not only does he demand his inheritance while his father is alive and well, but he squanders it all, in what this translation calls “a life of dissipation,” a very unfun way of saying he partied like a rock star until the money was gone. He returns home because he’s hungry. He might sound sorry, but really that’s just a BS speech he makes up and probably rehearses all the way home. The story ends with his sulky older brother complaining. Because he’s been “good” all his life, he thinks he should be rewarded. But this father clearly doesn’t care about following the rules. He just wants to be in relationship with his sons. He’s extravagant, even wasteful, in how he loves them. It seems like neither son is sorry, and neither learns anything, but the father doesn’t even care. His big, giant love is not diminished.

Full disclosure: I usually identify with the whiny older brother when I read this story. Those of us who follow the rules do deserve a reward. Am I right? I could do without the goat for my friends and I, but some acknowledgement would be nice. On the other hand, I do have it in me to be the bratty younger son, too. I take God for granted. I ignore God’s call to prayer. I can blame God when things go wrong even though it’s my own fault. It’s easy to identify with either or both of these ungrateful boys, isn’t it?

However, when I think about what it’s like to lose things, I can see this story from the father’s perspective. It’s such a relief to find lost things, and those are just objects. I think about some things that were lost during the first two pandemic years. Some of those things have been somewhat restored, like we can see loved ones and hang out with friends and travel. That’s a delight and a relief, although sometimes it feels a little overwhelming. Some things, though, have not been restored. Many of us lost loved ones. Some lost jobs or lost their savings during this time. Many of us lost a sense of safety and basic trust, naïve thought it might have been to have it before. I don’t even know how to understand the sense of loss from people of Ukraine or Afghanistan or other war-torn parts of the world. I’m sure we’re all united with them in praying that all that’s been lost will be restored to them soon. What will it be like for them to have families return home to be reunited with each other? To have their lives back, to have peace? When that happens, I imagine it will feel like a miracle. It will certainly be cause for the utmost height of rejoicing.

Speaking of rejoicing, let’s go back to our Gospel and this father rejoicing because his son is home. Maybe his cause for rejoicing is really the possibility of this relationship being restored. Also, maybe, with time and intention, the broken relationship with the older son can be restored too. It’s clear that he doesn’t want just another hired hand – in either of his sons; he wants his sons.

You know, Jesus has a reason for offering these parables about lost things. It’s not just random, but it’s in response to the Pharisees and scribes who are complaining about Jesus’s habit of welcoming and eating with “sinners.” Rather than defend the company he keeps, he tells these stories about the lost and found. I think his listeners, including us, are meant to see that nothing is too small that we don’t rejoice over finding it when it’s been lost. More to the point, no person is insignificant. For God, everyone is worth finding. No one is beyond reach; no one is irredeemable. These so-called sinners that Jesus hangs out with, well, they’re not so bad either. Maybe they’re just a little lost.

Human beings are complicated in this. We sometimes need discernment and healthy boundaries and self-protection when relationships break down. However, God, who is infinite mystery, is not complicated in this. God wants us to return no matter what. God loves us whether we’re bratty or whiny, searching, wayward, or unfaithful. When we seem lost and return to God, God rejoices. And because God’s love is so lavish, there’s no reason to be resentful of God’s love for someone else. God’s love is infinite and boundless, and so God can love us all extravagantly.

I think again of those words we heard on Ash Wednesday from the prophet Joel. “Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart.” The Fourth Week of Lent is not too late, nor is the Fifth Week, nor even the First Week of Easter. God doesn’t care where we’ve been or why we got lost, except to heal us and move us toward wholeness. God just waits patiently until we can be spotted in the distance, and then God runs to meet us, embraces us, and maybe even throws a party. Who knows? So, if we feel lost, let’s return. Even now. With our whole hearts.

For Reflection

• Have you ever found something you’ve lost? What was that like?

• What is it like to reconcile with a loved one? What is it like to reconcile with God?

• What keeps you from returning to God with your whole heart?

• How have you experienced the indulgent love of God?

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By Sister Leslie Keener, CDP

Sister Leslie Keener, CDP is the director of God Space, a community-building spirituality ministry in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. She’s a Sister of Divine Providence with a Masters in Ministry and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction and Retreats from Creighton University. She directs retreats, meets with people for spiritual direction, and serves as the vocation director for her community. She also serves on the Coordinating Council of Spiritual Directors International. She enjoys music, meaningful conversations, and dancing.