PENTECOST VII

July 16, 2023

“Lost And Found . . . Five Years Later”      

Do you remember what you were doing about this time five years ago?  Unless there was something very important going on, it’s not that easy to precisely recall dates and events.  A group of families and their sons, however, have vivid recollections of a couple of weeks in July of 2018.  A boys’ soccer team from Thailand, 12 youngsters from ages 11-16, and their coach had been hiking in a park with many caves, and as they explored, became trapped in one by suddenly rising water.  When their predicament was discovered, rescue workers began the challenging task of figuring out just where the boys were and what was needed to get them out of the cave.     An elite British diving team arrived, located the youngsters, and developed a plan of rescue.  Over about three-days’ time, all the team members and their coach were brought up safely and in surprisingly good condition.  One boy, 14-year-old Adun Sam-on, spoke English, and was able to communicate well with Rick Stanton, member of the diving team.  Around the world, people rejoiced in the success of the effort and the happy outcome of a dire situation.     

Fast forward to the recent graduation ceremony at a private academy, the Masters School, near New York City, and we saw a smiling, poised young man receive his diploma and talk about his plans to go to college and pursue a degree in medicine.  It was Adun, a survivor, a student, and still a soccer player.  He’d been invited to the school, received a full scholarship, and had thrived in this environment.  And the speaker at the ceremony?  Rick Stanton, diver and rescuer!       

Jesus told parables about losing and finding, including the one about the lost sheep, which begins with this question: “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?”  (Luke 15:4).  The practice of the day was to accept the loss of the one that wandered off, and care for the remaining flock.  You couldn’t jeopardize ninety-nine for one!  But not our shepherd — he didn’t accept the usual practice, because every single sheep is of value and worth the search.  He tells his listeners, “Just 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.”  (v. 7)      

We like to think we know where we’re going and how to get there, but life doesn’t always follow a road map or a master plan.  There can be times when we feel spiritually lost, wondering how to escape the dark place in which we find ourselves.  It’s frightening, lonely, and feels hopeless, but Jesus himself tells us that he will come looking for us, he won’t give up on us, and he’s not afraid to come into the darkest, most dangerous caves and carry us out on his shoulders.  How reassured and blessed we are, knowing that even the foolish stray is worthy of being saved by our shepherd.     

And there it is — it’s grace, the gift freely and lovingly given, that brings us into relationship with our Lord, and that provides us all we need. 

Blessed by the gift of daily grace,

Your friend in Christ,

Mary Rogers