Hunter Ficke
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In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus asks a question of the Pharisees and teachers of the law: if they owned a hundred sheep and one became lost, wouldn’t they leave the ninety-nine and search for it? Jesus goes on to describe that when the sheep is found, the owner joyfully carries it home and rejoices with friends and neighbors (Paraphrase NIV). Jesus ends the parable by saying “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (NIV Luke 15:7)
After reading this passage, I reflected on the mission of the Episcopal Church and that of Trinity Cathedral:
The Episcopal Church exists to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ. At Trinity Cathedral, we strive to provide a place of refuge for everyone to belong and rest in peace and hopefulness. We will connect the community to tools and resources they need, and provide an outlet for those wanting to offer their gifts and engage with others.
I thought about the ways Trinity Cathedral responds in ways that Jesus is asking us to do in this parable. When the lost sheep is found, the shepherd is not judgmental, but instead is joyful. In that spirit, Trinity opens its doors and welcomes all to our services of worship and education opportunities. Our facilities are made available to those seeking recovery from addiction. The food pantry provides material help to those in our community. As we continue our journey through Lent, we may wish to reflect on how we may enhance our living out the message of the good shepherd.
Hunter Ficke has been attending Trinity for about seven years and is involved with the Building and Grounds Committee, the Walk-in Food Ministry and is a member of the Cathedral Executive Committee.
Find all Lenten Devotionals from Trinity Cathedral here.
