Searching for What Has Been Lost

Collect for Tuesday in the Fourth Week of Lent

O God, with you is the well of life, and in your light we see light: Quench our thirst with living water, and flood our darkened minds with heavenly light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Searching For What Has Been Lost (Matthew 18:1-35)

I spent the month of January in Myanmar with six classmates from Virginia Theological Seminary.  Upon arrival in Yangon, we managed to negotiate for a taxi, which turned out to be an old van that we then piled into along with our suitcases, bags, backpacks, and other luggage.  I thought the biggest adventure of the evening would be the fact that it took four men and lots of rocking, rolling, and pushing to get the van going, but instead we had an experience that illustrates what I think Jesus meant when he taught about going after the lost sheep.

           

In the chaos of suitcases, bags, and bodies getting in and out of the old cab, my friend lost her new camera.  She did not realize it was missing for several hours, and it was only after helping her search her entire room, the hotel lobby, the parking lot, and everyone else’s bags that it became clear the camera was in the old taxi van.  While my friend went back to her room in tears, the night manager at the hotel noticed her distressed and called our trip leader around midnight.  The night manager and our trip leader went back to the airport together to search for the taxi driver.  Finding the airport gates locked, they asked around and learned the address of the airport’s international terminal taxi manager lived.  They found him at home and explained the situation.  Wanting to help my friend, he gave them the address of the driver who had picked up our group at the airport.  Our trip leader and the hotel manager finally found the driver of the taxi.  He eagerly led them to the van.  We had been his last fare of the night, so the camera remained just where it had fallen on the floor of his taxi.  They returned astonished and triumphant at about 4am. 

The next morning my friend awoke to find her camera returned after a long and dedicated search.  The community of support for my friend was wider than she could have imagined, and we all shared in her joy the next day.  Truly I tell you, the shepherd rejoices over the lost sheep more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.  When the journey to recovering that which was lost involves the unwavering dedication, love, and support of an entire community, it is impossible not to rejoice.  May we be as eager to help one another and search for that which has been lost, whether it be a sheep, a camera, or a dream.

Dorota Pruski

Seminarian studying at Virginia Theological Seminary

St. James’ Episcopal Church