And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."
-Luke 15:2

Jesus would often tell stories in order to give us a better look into the heart of God. At other times, Jesus seems to become a parable, a window into whose words and deeds we can catch a glimpse of God. In this passage from Luke, Jesus seems to be doing both. The gathering storm begins when the righteous, the scribes and the Pharisees mutter charges against Jesus.

In response to their criticism, Jesus tells these wonderful little stories. "Which one of you shepherds," he says, "when watching your flock by night, when one strays will you not leave the other 99 sheep alone to rush out into the wilderness and search for the one? And when you find that sheep, which one of you will not place it on your shoulders, rush back to the others, wake up your friends, and say, 'I have found my sheep...let's party!'" Jesus says that this is what God is like. God searches...God finds...God saves the lost...God throws parties of extravagant love for sinners.

Knowing that you are lost...admitting that you are lost, is a good thing. It makes redemption possible. I believe that it is in the state of being lost and in chaos that you become open to God. God will find us in that mess.

There is another kind of loss, however, that is not so good. It looks something like the Pharisees and scribes who are lost, but they do not think they are lost. This kind of lost is to be so sure of oneself that all around is black and white...inside here, outside there...sinners over there, saved over here. When you do not know you are lost, there is no need for grace to be found.

Have you ever experienced "being lost?" How so?

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever flowing stream.
-Amos 5:24

John Rawls was a philosopher who taught at Harvard University. About 50 years ago he set out a theory of justice which is quoted whenever justice has been discussed or debated. Amos would have liked John Rawls! His approach to the issue of justice is a variation on the problem of how to divide one piece of cake equitably between two children. The answer is that one child cuts the cake into two pieces, while the other has first choice of which piece of cake to eat. Since the child with the knife does not know which piece of cake she will get, she has maximum motivation to ensure that both pieces are as big as possible. This will happen only if the two pieces are the same size.

Using a more sophisticated version of this approach, Rawls sets out his theory of justice, which he calls "Justice as Fairness." He imagines a group of people who will select principles of justice for their society. They meet behind what Rawls calls a "veil of ignorance," which keeps them from knowing which positions they occupy in society. What principles of justice will they choose? Or, if I do not know beforehand which piece of cake I will get, then I will do my best to divide the cake fairly.

Rawls insists that we must at times choose and act as though we are blind to our own good fortune...Justice requires it. Justice is a neutral standard, and it applies to everything, but especially to such issues as immigration, health care, housing and education. And justice is not just about the character of our public policies as a nation. It is also about the character of our conduct as citizens.

How is "justice for all" practiced in your life?

But a Samaritan came to where he was, and when he saw him he had compassion...
-Luke 10:33

Mercy can be defined as, "Compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm." The lawyer in the story of the Good Samaritan, knows what is written in the law. He tested Jesus, and he thought he had won. The right answer was perceived to be the source of his redemption. But as all Quakers know, having right answers does not mean that one has experienced the Living God.

Throughout our history, Quakers have witnessed to the truth that one may know about God and not know God. One may study theology 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and not know the One about whom the theology is written. It is possible to have the right doctrinal formulations and be captivated by one's own religious verbiage, and still not know the transcendent reality that we call God. So Jesus does not say to the lawyer, "Great answer. You are my top student!" No, he says, "Do this and you will live." Jesus then goes on to respond to the lawyer's next question, "Who is my neighbor?" by telling the story about the Samaritan.

I know how difficult it is to ask for help, and so do you. After all, we are successful and lettered people! But I also know that at times we may be the ones on the side of the road in need of assistance...in need of mercy and radical kindness. Perhaps the only way we can see ourselves as the Samaritan, is first to recognize how often we have been the traveler left beaten by the side of the road. Once we have encountered the radical grace, love and forgiveness of God, it is hard to look at anything or anyone quite the same.

Who are you in the story of The Good Samaritan?

Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
-Luke 11:9

The holidays always put me in a reflective mood. In recent days I have been thinking a lot about my spiritual journey...my family...my beloved community of faith, and what I have come to believe theologically as a result of my life experiences.

I have found that there are four questions that we can ask ourselves--four questions that have been asked over the centuries of human life on this earth:

First, "How can I come to know with some certainty the meaning of human existence?" In this first question we focus on the process of revelation, or how have I experienced life so that I am helped in trying to understand who I am? In the words of George Fox, "You will say, Christ saith this, and the apostles say this; but what canst thou say?"

Second, "What is the nature of that ultimate reality which sets limits and possibilities on my human existence?"As persons of faith, our response to this question is, God, whose nature is love. Such a response, however, is inseparable from the third question in our search, which is, "Where can one turn to get help in deciding what is the meaning of human existence and the nature of ultimate reality?" For Christians, our response is Jesus Christ.

Finally, in what historical community is the meaning of existence understood and its fulfillment best nurtured?" Or, "What community offers the most help in our effort to understand why we are here?" For Christians, our response is the beloved community, the Meeting or Church.

Have the holidays put you in a reflective mood?