Luke 15:8-10

“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.’” vs. 9

When something has been lost, and then found, it’s virtually impossible to repress the feelings of joy that are released. We don’t even have to think about it. Whether it’s a key or a passport or a person that we’ve lost, the finding brings gladness. But sometimes that which has been lost can’t be found again…and then joy evades us. For many 9/11 has come to represent that kind of deep irreplaceable loss on a national scale. And it’s not only that hundreds of innocent people died in tragic ways. It’s more than that. Somehow in those horrible moments we lost a sense of security and began to realize our vulnerability. And post-9/11 the pain has continued. War seems unending and more horrible than ever. Enemies and militias abound. Paranoia has gripped our national psyche. We are horribly divided. There just isn’t much out there to bring joy or gladness. Even feel-good events like Olympics or Super Bowls bring reminders of that loss of innocence with their emphasis on screening and security. Only our on-going trust in the ultimate goodness of God gives hope. Our story tells us that out of crucifixion comes resurrection, from endings come new beginnings, and what has been lost will be found. Joy will be restored! Not through elections, but by the sweeping enlightenment of God’s Spirit of Love.

Thought for the Day: How has 9/11 impacted my life?