DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
Saint Luke 15:1-10 (11/16-11/29) Wednesday of the
Twenty-sixth Week after Pentecost
Repentance: Saint Luke 15:1-10, especially vs. 10: “...There is joy in the presence of the angels of God
over one sinner who repents.”
Christ our God is inviting us into
His presence. How are we going to
respond? Some people have left
everything and followed Him - Matthew the Holy Apostle and Evangelist is an
example (Mt. 9:9). Some have turned
“...back and walk with Him no more” (Jn. 6:66). Big crowds ‘go along’ with
His disciples, but never commit.
Those who have accepted Christ’s invitation discover that He
brings them up to the entry door of the eternal, blessed Kingdom only to find
it posted with a huge sign reading: ‘Repent!’ It is best that we investigate how the
Lord connects repentance with His invitation and with seeking that
“...which was lost” in life (Lk.
15:6). It may be that you do not
feel lost; but, perhaps, you do.
In the first verse of this passage, the Evangelist notes
that “...all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to
Him...” (Lk. 15:1). May God grant us the grace to find
ourselves among them! How easy it
is to draw near Christ, hear what He says, and then go on about our business
(vs. 1)! There are many ways to
deny the call from the Lord. Too
often it is easier to ‘go along’ with other people. But, then, there will be that door with
its sign ‘Repentance,’ and a crowd of sinners going in to fall down
before the Lord.
God has helped me see that I really belong with the
scoundrels - with the tax collectors and sinners. Also, I have discovered that the Lord
wants more from me than being sorry for my sins. Good Shepherd that He is, the Lord Jesus came into our wilderness, what we called
'life,' to do a great deal more than console us for our failures, both big and
small sins. For one, the Apostle
Paul points out that the Lord is asking everyone to come to Him through the
door of repentance, to go beyond “worldly sorrow” (feeling
badly). He asks us to repent, and
struggle with our sinful attitudes and actions. He wants true, godly repentance (see 2
Cor. 7:10).
But read on here.
Look at those whom the Lord our God restores. There is a hunger in some people to be
holy, pure, and sin-free, to move past feeling sorry for what was said and
done. The Lord Jesus demands and
seeks far more. His search for each
of us is so very patient, persistent, yet tough, and honest. He is the Good Shepherd Who came with us
in our wilderness looking for His lost sheep “...until He finds it”
(Lk. 15:4).
When He finds the lost sheep “who repents” (vss. 7, 10), He
carries it on His shoulders and ‘rejoices’ (vs. 5). His side of the story is joy; our side
is true repentance and honest effort at a genuine recovery of our humanity.
Yes, God is in the restoration business (bringing sheep
back into His fold, putting lost coins in His purse). Do not be part of the great tragedy of
never moving beyond sorrow, and dawdling at the door of repentance. A broken and contrite heart bleats like
a lost sheep, and the Shepherd hears those cries and comes to His lost
one. Those who “...need no repentance”
(vs. 7) miss the joy of being recovered, loved, and healed - and the experience
of Christ celebrating.
Blessed Theophylact says:
“You may understand the woman to signify the Wisdom and Power of God the
Father, that is, His Son, Who lost the one coin, man, from among the rational
creatures created in the image of God, and Who lights a lamp, His own flesh, to
look for him...and the coin was found, bearing the image of the King, and there
is joy for Him Who found it.…”
God truly rejoices at our return (vs. 9), and in every Liturgy we can
share His celebration.
Listen: the Lord demands more than we can fulfill. However, He meets us,
helps us, and rejoices when we enter the open door of repentance and struggle
for restoration with His help.
O Thou Who didst endure the Cross, and abolish Death, and
didst rise again from the dead; give peace to our life, O Lord: for Thou only
art almighty .
Return to the November Calendar