The Margins

Today’s gospel stirred a different place in me this morning. “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Jesus Christ welcomes those that are unwelcome. The word “sinner” is used in the gospel, but we can really replace that word with any label that would not make the guest list at our next dinner party. The unmentionables, the ones that offend us, the ones that disturb us, the ones that make us cringe, the ones that make us feel uncomfortable, the ones that we deem unworthy, and yes, sinners too (so each one of us). Why does Jesus choose them? To love them back into wellness and relationship with Him. Why? A relationship with Jesus, in and through love, is the only way for the “sinners” to get right. The gospel opens with “the tax collectors and sinners were ALL drawing near to listen to Jesus.” The tax collectors and sinners were able to recognize something in Jesus that was life giving, because He first recognized them, He looked at them and saw a soul that needed love. The first step to their wellness was drawing near and listening. Our first step to conversion is also drawing near and listening. 

Of course I love the image painted by Jesus of going after the one, scooping them up onto His shoulders, and bringing them home to celebrate their finding. This is the main thing and this is the way He loves each one of us, but there is a poem that came to mind this morning while reading this gospel that I’d like to share. Jesus went to the margins to seek out the lost, the broken, the forgotten, the thrown away, the shamed, the weary, the ugly, the abused, the unhealthy, the damaged, the wounded, the misguided, the misunderstood, the humiliated, the criminals, the sinners, the ones doing bad things, and ALL those in need of a Savior. Let Him scoop you up today. It is well with my soul. 

                                          The Margins

By Jennifer Lyn

“’Hope’ is a thing with feathers – that perches in the soul – and sings the tune without the words – and never stops at all.” Emily Dickinson

This one delicious morsel wafted its fragrance all over my heart and 

I’ve been thinking about it ever since.

A perch for the soul…doesn’t that sound lovely?

A place to rest your weary self while waiting for your muse

to write its melody within you.

This is HOPE indeed.

To sing a tune without the words is a dance if you ask me.

The perch is the holy ground that gives us permission to reach beyond ourselves and to stand in wonder of all the songs without words that we see everyday:

The beggar on the street.

The teenage boy running to catch the bus.

The woman searching her purse for change to buy coffee.

The giggles of middle school girls.

A toddler’s drunk walk.

A single mother’s weary face.

A father making ends meet.

A child playing pretend at the park.

A runner training for a race.

A group of special needs adults going out to the zoo.

The hospice worker stroking her patient’s face. 

A middle-aged woman being released from jail.

A homeboy reaching out his tattooed arms to help an elderly woman.

These songs and their melodies play in the recesses of my soul and I can’t help but to sway back and forth to their tune.

When I perch my soul at the margins and look in, 

I see hope swirling about and I am moved.

May I never not adore these snippets of grace and 

may I never ignore the music they play. 

Reading 1 ROM 14:7-12

Brothers and sisters:
None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself.
For if we live, we live for the Lord,
and if we die, we die for the Lord;
so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
For this is why Christ died and came to life,
that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
Why then do you judge your brother or sister?
Or you, why do you look down on your brother or sister?
For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God;
for it is written:

As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend before me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.

So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God.

Responsorial Psalm PS 27:1BCDE, 4, 13-14

R. ( 13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

Alleluia MT 11:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 15:1-10

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
"This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." 
So Jesus addressed this parable to them.
"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.' 
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.

"Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
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.' 
In just the same way, I tell you,
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents."