Twenty fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C

LUKE 15:1-32
I AM ALWAYS FASCINATED BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE OBSESSIONS. SOMETIMES WE THINK THAT REFERS TO A MENTAL ILLNESS, AND SOMETIMES IT DOES; BUT WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE WHOSE OBSESSION IS BENIGN AND SOMETIMES A SOURCE OF GREAT PLEASURE. MY GRANDMOTHER COLLECTED ORNAMENTAL SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS. SHE LET IT BE KNOWN THAT FOR CHRISTMAS AND BIRTHDAYS, SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS WOULD BE WONDERFUL GIFTS. PEOPLE WHO WENT AWAY ON TRIPS WOULD BRING HER BACK SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS. SHE HAD TWO LARGE DISPLAY CASES CRAMMED WITH THESE LITTLE FIGURINES SHAPED LIKE BIRDS OR BEARS OR BEER CANS, OR JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE YOU COULD MENTION. WHEN I WAS SMALL, I COULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT HER COLLECTION, SO FULL OF VARIETY, AND SHE HAD A STORY ABOUT WHERE EACH SET CAME FROM.
WHEN SHE DIED, NO ONE REALLY WANTED HER COLLECTION, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS BOXED UP AND SHIPPED TO HER DAUGHTER WHO HAS ALSO PASSED AWAY, AND WHO KNOWS WHATEVER HAPPENED TO IT?
TODAY'S GOSPEL TELLS US ABOUT GOD'S OBSESSION. GOD IS OBSESSED WITH US. HE MOVES HEAVEN AND EARTH TO GATHER US TO HIMSELF. I THINK WE CAN ALL SEE THAT IN THE THREE STORIES JESUS TELLS, EACH ONE WITH THE REFRAIN, REJOICE, OR CELEBRATE! WHAT WAS LOST IS NOW FOUND!”
BUT WHY THREE STORIES? CERTAINLY ANY ONE OF THEM WOULD HAVE MADE THE POINT. BUT I THINK JESUS TOLD THREE STORIES FOR A REASON.
THE SHEEP, THE COIN AND THE WAYWARD SON ARE NOT INTERESTED IN BEING FOUND. AND I THINK MOST OF US, DESPITE WHAT WE MAY SAY, DESPITE EVEN WHAT WE DO, ARE DEEP DOWN A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT BEING GATHERED INTO GOD'S COLLECTION. WE LIKE BEING IN CHARGE. EVEN WHEN WE TRY TO LIVE A GOOD LIFE AND MAKE GOOD CHOICES, THE FACT THAT WE MAKE THE CHOICES AND THAT WE COULD CHOOSE OTHERWISE PLEASES US. WE RIGHTLY SUSPECT THAT SOMETHING WILL CHANGE IF WE SURRENDER COMPLETELY TO GOD. OUR WILL WON'T BE OUR OWN ANYMORE; TO MAKE OTHER CHOICES THAN THE ONES GOD MAKES WILL NO LONGER BE A POSSIBILITY. JESUS, WHO COMPLETELY SURRENDERED TO GOD, MADE SEVERAL STATEMENTS TO THIS EFFECT: “MY FOOD AND DRINK IS TO DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER; NOT MY WILL, BUT YOUR WILL BE DONE; FOR I HAVE COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN NOT TO DO MY WILL. BUT THE WILL OF HIM WHO SENT ME.” AND YET EACH OF US STRUGGLES MOST OF OUR LIVES TRYING TO SURRENDER OUR WILL TO GOD. NONE OF US CAN USE THE EXCUSE THAT WE DON'T KNOW GOD'S WILL. WITH EVERY CHOICE WE MAKE, GOD'S WILL IS USUALLY CLEAR, AND IF IT'S NOT, THAT'S WHAT THE CHURCH IS FOR. THE PROBLEM IS NOT THAT WE DON'T KNOW GOD'S WILL, BUT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO KNOW IT.
THE COIN IS PASSIVE. DID IT FALL OFF A TABLE OR OUT OF A PURSE? WHATEVER HAPPENED, IT JUST LIES THERE; IT DOESN'T COOPERATE WITH OR OPPOSE THE EFFORTS OF THE WOMAN AND HER BROOM. HER FRANTIC SWEEPING MEANS NOTHING TO IT. AND SOME OF US ARE LIKE THAT. GOD, WE SAY, LEAVE ME ALONE. I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT YOU AND YOUR OBSESSION WITH ME. MAYBE SOMEDAY IN THE FUTURE, BUT AS FOR RIGHT NOW, I HAVE ENOUGH ON MY PLATE.
THE SHEEP IS DISTRACTED. SHE LEAVES THE FLOCK IN PURSUIT OF A MOUTHFUL OF THIS AND A TASTE OF THAT; AND SOONER OR LATER, SHE'S COMPLETELY LOST. AND SOME OF US ARE LIKE THAT AS WELL. WE HAVE A SORT OF A DESIRE TO DRAW CLOSER TO GOD, TO PRAY MORE, TO GET TO THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE; WE INTEND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE. WE PLAN TO GET INVOLVED IN SOME PARISH ACTIVITY, OR MAKE A CURSILLO, OR IN SOME WAY START TO TAKE OUR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT MORE SERIOUSLY. BUT WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN, AND ONE DAY LEADS TO ANOTHER, AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY DISTRACTED BY THE THINGS THAT CATCH OUR ATTENTION, AND DESPITE OUR INTENTIONS, NOTHING HAPPENS. AND ONE DAY WE WAKE UP IN THE TWILIGHT OF OUR LIVES AND REALIZE THAT WE ARE NO NEARER TO OUR LORD THAN WE WERE WHEN WE WERE YOUNG.
AND THE YOUNG MAN MAKES A DECISION TO LEAVE HIS FATHER'S HOUSE AND DEPEND ON HIS OWN RESOURCES, AFTER, OF COURSE, SQUANDERING EVERYTHING HIS FATHER GAVE HIM. AND WE SEE THIS ALL THE TIME AS OUR YOUNG PEOPLE LEAVE THE CHURCH AFTER CONFIRMATION, AS ONCE FAITHFUL CHURCH-GOERS STOP GOING BECAUSE THEY DISAGREE WITH THE BISHOP ABOUT CLOSING A CHURCH, OR ABOUT HOW A CONTROVERSY IS HANDLED. AND WE MAY TURN AGAINST OUR FATHER'S HOUSE, OUR CHURCH, IN OTHER WAYS; THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN THE CHURCH TAKES ONE POSITION AND THE WORLD ANOTHER. WE CATHOLICS AREN'T VERY DIFFERENT FROM OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE WAY WE REGARD SO CALLED GAY MARRIAGE, ABORTION, AND MANY OTHER TOPICS. INSTEAD OF LEARNING ABOUT WHY THE CHURCH TEACHES THE WAY IT DOES, WE REFLEXIVELY ASSUME THAT THE CHURCH IS HOPELESSLY OUT OF DATE AND DOESN'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY ABOUT THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE.
SO JESUS IS SAYING THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS OF RESISTING GOD'S OBSESSION WITH US. BUT GOD DOESN'T GIVE UP; HE LEAVES THE 99 SHEEP TO FIND THE ONE THAT IS LOST – SOMETHING NO HUMAN SHEPHERD WOULD DO. HE SWEEPS THE ENTIRE HOUSE LOOKING FOR A LOST COIN; IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REALLY VALUABLE FOR ME TO DO THAT; I WOULDN'T DO IT FOR A QUARTER OR EVEN ONE OF THOSE ONE DOLLAR COINS THAT YOU GET NOW AND THEN. BUT FOR THE PERSON WHO DELIBERATELY REJECTS HIM, GOD ACTS DIFFERENTLY; HE WAITS, HE CHOOSES TO WAIT FOR THE RETURN OF THAT PERSON. BECAUSE AS MUCH AS GOD IS OBSESSED WITH US, HE LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE ALLOWS US THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR DELIBERATE CHOICES; BECAUSE IF WE ARE IN GOD'S IMAGE AND LIKENESS, WE MUST BE FREE TO CHOOSE.
OVER THE PAST FEW SUNDAYS JESUS HAS BEEN TELLING US ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. TWO SUNDAYS AGO HE TOLD US TO INVITE THE OUTCASTS TO OUR FEAST AND TO HUMBLE OURSELVES. LAST SUNDAY HE TOLD US THAT UNLESS WE HATED OUR FAMILY AND EVEN OUR OWN LIVES, WE COULDN'T ENTER THE KINGDOM; BUT TODAY HE OFFERS REASSURANCE; WE DON'T HAVE TO FIND THE KINGDOM ALONE. WE HAVE A GOD WHO WILL NEVER GIVE UP. WE HAVE A GOD WHO PLUNGED FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH, WHO THREW OFF HIS GODHOOD TO BE ONE OF US, WHO WHEN THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE US WAS TO DIE IN OUR PLACE, CHOSE TO DIE FOR US. BUT HAVING DONE ALL THAT, HE STILL WAITS BY THE ROAD FOR US TO RETURN TO HIM AND SURRENDER OUR WILLS SO THAT HE CAN GIVE US EVERYTHING.
AND YET SO MANY CHOOSE TO REMAIN IN THAT FOREIGN LAND AND FIGHT WITH PIGS OVER WHAT WE EAT, WHEN WE COULD BE FEASTING IN OUR FATHER'S HOME.