The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." So to them he addressed this parable. "What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.' …
In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Then he said, "A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between them…
But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'" (Lk 15:1-32)
There are three parables in today’s reading. All the three speak about the lost: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Again all the three of them have the same ending: there is rejoicing and celebration. There is a sad beginning in the story but with the happy ending at the conclusion. The three stories have the same message: there is rejoicing in the heaven at the conversion of a sinner.
Lost sheep: It looks foolish on the part of the shepherd to leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness to look for the lost sheep. Could it not end up losing the ninety-nine? Why should he go after the lost one? Here in this story the sheep represents the ignorant and innocent. The sheep got lost unknowingly (also unnoticed by the shepherd – partly it is the mistake of the shepherd) It is an animal and has five senses yet because it does not have the sixth sense it is not able to discern. Hence it needs searching and assistance.
Lost coin: It is a material thing which has no senses at all. It was lost because of the carelessness of the owner. It was misplaces and it has to be searched out. Its value is only for the owner. The owner has to go after it.
Lost son: The boy loses himself knowingly and willingly. He asked the father to divide the property and he wanted to break the relationship and go away. So he has to come back. He has to decide and return. But the greatness of the father is that he waits for the return. Nothing is lost forever.
