The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say,
And the Pharisees and the scribes complained.
This man,
They said,
Welcomes sinners and eats with them.
So he spoke this parable to them.
What man among you,
With a hundred sheep,
Losing one,
Would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness,
And go after the missing one till he found it?
And when he found it,
Would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders,
And then,
When he got home,
Call together his friends and neighbors?
Rejoice with me,
He would say.
I have found my sheep that was lost.
In the same way,
I tell you,
There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.
Or again.
What woman with ten drachmas would not,
If she lost one,
Light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly until she found it?
And then,
When she had found it,
Call together her friends and neighbors.
Rejoice with me,
She would say,
I have found the drachma I lost.
In the same way,
I tell you,
There is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.
The Gospel of the Lord.
It has been said so many times before that Jesus did not come to save those who kept the law.
Jesus came for us sinners.
Jesus came for us who were lost.
Jesus came for those who are filled with anguish,
Filled with doubt,
Depression,
Hurt,
Anger.
The Gospel reading today goes on to tell one of the most well-known stories,
The story of the prodigal son.
And I think a lot has been said,
I know a lot has been said about that parable.
So let us look at Jesus telling us about the one,
The one that is lost.
The Pharisees were always looking out for something to pin on Jesus,
Something that he might have done wrong.
And we see that the people here complained that Jesus spent time with the tax collectors and the sinners.
Today is also a day that we remember somebody who in my mind is a saint,
A martyr,
Saint Michael Judge,
Who is listed as the first person,
The first casualty of 9-11.
Now Michael Judge was a priest,
Father Michael,
And he had a phenomenal life story and very few people know about him other than that picture of the firemen carrying out this person,
The first casualty of 9-11.
He was a bit of a contentious character,
Which is I think why I really appreciate him as a human being,
As a symbol of humanity,
Of being human.
When the AIDS pandemic was at its worst,
People shunned those lying in hospitals having no hope and basically just lying there and waiting to die.
Michael Judge went and massaged the feet of those in hospital.
When people didn't know how AIDS was transmitted,
It was that time,
He didn't join others in standing back.
He was there for them.
And it's such a powerful,
Powerful thing because here many years later we see him being there for people.
He didn't have to be in the Twin Towers.
He was the chaplain for the firefighters.
So the first person to die or to be listed as deceased was praying at the moment of his death,
Praying for the firefighters,
Praying for those who needed support.
That to me is the makings of a saint.
His life,
He didn't shirk away from perceived danger.
He was there in whatever way he could have been.
So what do we do?
We have today a beautiful example of doing small things,
Things that other people might not do,
But rubbing the feet of somebody in pain,
Rubbing the feet of somebody who in the old days in the biblical times would be considered a leper.
So other than the,
I think a beautiful reflexology session that he would give,
He touched them and showed them compassion and grace and acceptance.
Compassion grace and acceptance.
Those are three words that I think we all crave.
So maybe as we go into this week,
Can I ask you to light a candle for Father Michael,
Saint Michael judge,
And ask that he prays for all of us that we will share and help make this world a place of compassion,
Grace and acceptance.
Amen.
