The Parable of the Lost Coin

ORDINARY TIME

The Lost Drachma by James Tissot

This Sunday's readings are called “The Parables of the Lost”.  I sometimes have a hard time identifying with Parables since I have little frame of reference to biblical times.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep has been explained to me so many times I get it.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep. 1  The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, 2 but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So to them he addressed this parable. 4 “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?  5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 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.’ 7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. 

The The Prodigal Son.....well don’t get me started on that one today!

The Parable of the Lost Son. 11 Then he said, “A man had two sons, 12 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. 13 After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.  14 When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. 15 So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. 16 And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. 17 Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. 18 I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ 20 So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ 22 But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. 25 Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. 27 The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. 30 But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ 31He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. 32 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.’”

But the story of the Woman Who Lost Her Coin?  I just skipped right over it, never identified with this one in any way, or gave it any thought at all. 

The Parable of the Lost Coin. 8 “Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ 10 In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

I mean really, she searches the house and when it’s found she calls all her neighbors to rejoice?  I can’t imagine that.   And yes, I’ve misplaced a ten dollar bill and looked all through my pockets and checked the dryer and the nether-world of my purse. But call all my friends to rejoice with me?  Nah.  Just didn't relate to it at all.

(Yet.)

I get that we aren’t talking about a real coin, it’s just a metaphor for a lost soul.

Still, no real connection of any kind, I didn't even really pay attention to that part of the Gospel.  Until this time.

When I heard the Gospel this week my mind jumped directly to the time I lost the diamond out of my engagement ring.

Several years ago my ring caught on my shirt. I looked down and GASP!! The stone was missing from the setting!  Omygosh I nearly had a heart attack! 

I searched and searched and searched the area to no avail.  Oh I was heartbroken!

My husband had bought me that ring and presented it to me on Christmas Eve when we were teenagers. Oh how proud of it we were, how much I loved him and couldn’t wait to be his wife; be with him forever!

I would sit in my college classes and stare at it, particularly in the auditorium classes which were dark with multiple lights causing the different facets to sparkle like, well, like diamonds!  LOL!

Numerous times over the years I would be praying in church and my eye would be very very close to the stone and if the sunshine or lighting was just right it would refract tiny rainbows into my vision.  I’ve taken it as a spiritual sign of promises on more than one occasion! 

Oh we were so young.  And broke.  And it took over a year to pay off my humble engagement ring - but today I wouldn’t trade it for any other!  What could a giant rock possible mean compared to this little treasure of true love?

So I was devastated the stone was missing. It was broken. The little gold band with the sad little empty setting looked like a tiny, empty hand with fingers reaching.  Sad, sad, sad.

Course, I enlisted my family to help me look for it. 

I forbid anyone to vacuum or sweep.  I instructed everyone to examined the bottom of their socks before putting on their shoes.  Course, I checked socks before I washed clothes too.

I was constantly looking down, searching, searching, searching. 

I cried to my friends and family on the phone.  My facebook status reflected how upset I was and I posted updates on my search.  Replies were sympathetic and filled with advise. “Vacuum with cheesecloth over your wand”  “Damp mop”  “Shine a flashlight along the edge of the floor”  “Pray to St. Anthony”.

I did them all, especially the praying.

You know you are getting desperate when you quit praying to St. Anthony (patron of lost items) and begin praying to St. Jude (patron of lost causes).

And about a week after I lost realized it was missing, I was walking through an area right out in the open and looked down and there it was!!! My diamond!!  YAY!

Oh I was so happy!  I did the “dance of joy”!!

I called my husband, babbling excitably of the exact when, where & how of the recovery!

I called my mother!  I called my daughter!

I updated my facebook status!  My friends all jumped right on with comments that shared in my joy!  I was so darn joyful!

I took it straight to the jeweler to have the stone reset in the setting.

My ring was again complete!  It was shiny and new and restored to it’s original beauty.

Oh yes, it all came back to me in a happy rush as I sat in church on Sunday listening to the Gospel being read.  It was like it was the first time I had ever paid attention to the story of the Woman and the Lost Coin. 

And now I understand.

i understand how she felt, how she was joyful, how she called her neighbors and how they rejoiced with her.

I understand how God feels when we are found and he is able to restore us to our original, intended beauty.

Oh yes, when we are lost and then we are found...God definitely does a dance of joy!

Dear Lord, I am so happy that I found my diamond - Thank You so much!  But more than that, thank you for allowing me to find the deeper message and allowing me to use this experience to understand your parables better.  Amen.