Our Ministries
08 Sep

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A Caress of Love—Mercy Lived

DkruppaWhat is “lost” in your life? And what are we to do about what is lost in our lives? Jesus teaches us using three images—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. All three speak to us of God’s boundless love and bountiful mercy. Most especially these stories tell us that no matter how far away from God we may find ourselves, God is always waiting for us, ready to welcome us. God loves each one of us as if we were the only person on earth.

When we truly, deeply experience God’s love in this way, knowing our own brokenness and admitting that we too are often lost, we learn what kind of mercy we are called to express to others. When you reflect on what is lost in your life, think of the shepherd finding the one in a hundred, the woman who persists in finding the lost coin, and the father who is filled with compassion and runs to meet his wayward son, regaling him with the finest clothing and the finest party. Imagine yourself in the stories and befriend the feelings that arise.

Who are the people in my life that I am called to welcome back, to caress with love and compassion? How persistent can I be in looking for that which is lost? And how can I celebrate not only the “finding of the lost” in my own life, but also my own being found by God again. God looks for us constantly! Where and when can we be found?

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