find the lost

Thursday September 19^th, Luke 15:  1 Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."  This is the preparatory paragraph for one of the main sections in scripture, the stories of the lost and found in Luke.  The ones Christ is directing these stories of finding the lost and rejoicing to, are the major religious leaders of the day.  They represent the tendency in religion to drift off course from righteousness and ritual to holier than thou and institutional tradition.  We still do that today especially with the current mix of bad religion and bad politics known as tea.  The current trend in the world for the melding of fundamentalism and political power, whether it be Islamic fundamentalists in the Mideast or their counterpart, Christian fundamentalists in pseudo-grass roots movements in the U.S., is contrary to where God is calling us as the children of God.  They are also dangerous.  Jesus looks into the hearts of those who call for cutting social programs and pushing policies that judge and condemn and tells the stories of lost and found and rejoicing.  Jesus also calls us to find the lost, those marginalized by societies self-righteous streak, and bring them the good news, for that which you have done onto the least of these, you have done onto me says the Lord.