Today’s Parable awakens us to the Lord’s concern for those who have gone astray. He leaves everyone else and goes after that one person. Probably that person has tremendous potential in the Lord’s eyes, or maybe the Lord knows what terrible experiences they have gone through. Others who confine themselves to armchair or comfortable Christianity lose out. Par- ishes and Christian communities should constantly reach out to the unchurched and marginalized, instead of just working with those comfortable churchgoers.

One having tasted the bitter cup of alienation, uncertainty and bondage to sin, wants to get out of it. Lessons are learnt when a child told to not touch the hot kettle, but due to an exploratory and disobedient spirit, is tempted to do so, they learn through experience never to touch it again. Obedience is learnt the hard way. Once learnt, others benefit too.

Prayer: Abba Father, having experienced the terrible effects of disobedience, may I warn others too, of its dangers. Amen.