Faith Daily | 4 November 2021

PRAYER of the DAY - PENTECOST

God our Father,

whose will it is to bring all things

to order and unity in our Lord Jesus Christ:

may all the peoples of the world,

now divided and torn apart by sin,

be brought together under his sovereign rule of love;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: Luke 15: 1-10

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3So he told them this parable: 4“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 8“Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

GOSPEL Reflection: Contributed by: Rev’d Jan

Saint Gregory of Nyssa (fourth century Church Father), offers an explanation of the parable of the woman who lost one of her coins. His commentary (Against Eunomius, XII) sounds like a work of modern depth psychology. He explains that the woman in question is looking for her lost humanity. He thinks that the lost coin represents her heart and soul, and that the woman stands for all of us.

When she lights a lamp, that lamp is “without any doubt our consciousness, throwing light on our deepest depths.” The lost coin can only be found in our own house, that is, in our own self.

Gregory goes even further when he adds that “The parable points at the image of our King, not yet completely lost, but hidden under the trash of our existence.”

According to Gregory, Jesus is that king, the one who came to redeem us, but who in his turn has to be “redeemed” in us. If we don’t find and free him, we will never be who we are supposed to be. We would be a “dead loss”, a lost sheep. From “Hearts on Fire” Joseph Donders

Challenging words from Gregory. How we all need the light of Christ to reveal not only who we are, but who God is calling us to be. May that discovery process be our life journey – we need to rejoice that Christ has already found us! We are not lost……

FINAL PRAYER: “Seek ye first” TiS 745

‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God

and his righteousness,

and all these things

shall be added unto you.

Allelu, alleluia.

Ask, and it shall be given unto you,

seek and you shall find,

knock and it shall

be opened unto you.

Allelu, alleluia.

We shall not live by bread alone,

but by every word

that proceeds

from the mouth of the Lord.

Allelu, alleluia.

Amen.