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THE LOST COIN
“Or what woman
having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not
light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she
finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends
and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the
coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Once again we find Jesus hanging out with
the undesirables such as tax collectors and other notorious
sinners, and yet again, he is criticized by the Pharisees and
notable religious law teachers for doing so. It is not difficult
to imagine their deep concern and sense of outrage. That sort of
behavior by a supposed religious leader could not be tolerated.
In response, Jesus used a series of
parables to preach his message of inclusiveness. “The Lost Coin”
is the middle one, sandwiched in between a lost sheep and a lost
son. I am guessing he figured the Pharisees could relate to the
concept of money, whether it be lost or found.
In biblical times, many Palestinian women
received 10 silver coins as a wedding gift. These coins were
valued both monetarily and sentimentally, much as wedding rings
today. When I researched the coins, I found that even today,
some women incorporate coins into their jewelry in an effort to
keep them close at hand. Lost rings and lost coins are both
causes for much anguish and searching.
Jesus points out that surely a lost soul is
just as important as a lost coin. The angels rejoice at the
return of a repentant sinner. My study Bible concludes that “we
would have more joy in our churches if we shared Jesus’ love and
concern for the lost.”
Heavenly Father, be with us as we begin
our Lenten journey to the cross and help us to remain diligent
in our search for the lost. Amen
Suzanne Koch
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