Lost in Faith: The Parable of the Lost Sheep

By: Molly Kreikemeier

“1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 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” (Luke 15:3-7).

I distinctly remember being around 7 years old, sitting in my aunt’s childhood room at my grandma’s house, which was full of creepy Cabbage Patch Dolls and a whole collection of Beanie Babies in the closet. I couldn’t sleep, the sounds of the wind crashing against the window and the darkness filled my head with a sense of uneasiness. I scrambled to my grandma’s room to wake her up and begged for her to read me a story. At that moment she pulled out a book about Bible stories & parables. When she began reading, the parable of the lost sheep particularly stood out to me. A little less than a decade later, I was sitting in theology class when I was told that none of the parables I picked were available for the Bible project and reflection I was working on for my final exam. Despite my frustration, I chose another one, and to my surprise that parable was also taken. So the fifth parable I chose, which was the Parable of the Lost Sheep, wasn’t exactly what I wanted to write about but was what I needed to hear from God. When I began writing my reflection, I myself felt like the lost sheep Jesus was telling the Pharisees about.

Through the Parable of the Lost Sheep, we learn that God seeks every lost sinner and he rejoices when we are found. The story starts off with the Pharisees asking Jesus why he eats with sinners. He responds with the story of a shepherd who has 100 sheep, and when one goes missing, he leaves the 99 others to find the lost one. When he finds it, he rejoices more over the one sheep than over the 99 he left astray. When he finds the lost sheep the shepherd calls all of his friends and neighbors to celebrate. This mirrors the joy when a sinner repents and turns back to God. It is a powerful reminder that no matter how lost we feel, there is always a way back, and that return is met with God’s open arms and joy. Through the parable, Jesus sends us messages about God’s love for us. Just as the shepherd cares deeply for every single sheep, God cares for each individual. Every person is valuable and important to him. Lastly, the parable emphasizes that no one is beyond God’s reach. It highlights the possibility of salvation in everybody’s life. God’s grace is available to all, regardless of their past mistakes or how far they have wandered. God has a love and compassion for each of us and he seeks to save all those who are lost. 

In my life, there have been many moments where I have felt like a lost sheep in my faith. Growing up, my family was always Christmas Eve and Easter Catholics. I remember going to mass on those days and all I could think about were what presents I would receive or patiently waiting for my nana’s famous egg scavenger hunt. When my focus was renewed on the service, I was filled with so much confusion. Despite attending Sunday School every weekend, I never truly understood what was going on. I was a constant pest to my parents and was always curious about what being a Catholic truly meant. I was filled with questions like, why are we kneeling? Why are we eating and drinking the body and blood of Jesus? What is the holy trinity? I felt like I was missing a piece of the puzzle. I didn’t know any of the prayers we said at mass. I didn’t know when to stand, sit, or kneel. I didn’t know the meaning or purpose of mass. I remember going to get communion the Christmas Eve after my First Communion and having no idea what to do. I simply followed the moves of my mother and filled with so much anxiety, I stood there for a whole minute while the priest waited for me to say Amen, cause I couldn’t remember what to say.

Going to a public middle school during Covid was tough. I remember when people would ask me about my faith, I could never explain it, because I never really understood what being a Catholic meant. I felt like a total fraud. Faith in middle school was a sticky subject, and even though I didn't understand my faith, I was open to telling others about being a Catholic. After being constantly teased about my faith by my peers, I thought there is no way God is real. God wouldn’t let others tear me apart for believing in him. My mom soon saw my struggle and decided to move me to a Catholic school. I left everything I had known behind and I was off on a new journey. 

Coming to a community that accepted my faith instead of ridiculing it truly changed my perspective. Theology class that year was an eye-opening experience, I learned about Jesus and his disciples, whose names I didn’t even know before. I learned about God’s never-ending love. I learned about Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins. As years have passed my faith has grown to something that my life revolves around, instead of a life with faith in the background. To this day, I sometimes still feel like a lost sheep who isn’t truly a Catholic. I still don’t know all the prayers we say during mass, I still don’t know all of the stories of the Bible, I still forget to say grace sometimes before eating, and I still sin often. Feeling like a fraud can be a normal feeling, especially when you are surrounded by girls who grew up with faith as a family value. Being surrounded by girls who attended Catholic school their whole life, often made me feel insecure about not knowing about the fundamental truths of being a Catholic. I am here today to remind you that it is okay to feel like a fraud or a lost sheep in faith because God accepts and welcomes us from all walks of life. No matter how old or young you are, no matter how rich or poor, no matter how educated you are, God is with us. 

Reflecting on this parable, especially during times when I’ve felt lost in my faith, has reminded me of the importance of seeking and embracing God’s love and forgiveness. Today, I challenge you to seek God. I hope that no matter what path you are on, whether it is a path of sin or a winding path of faith, I invite you to feel God’s love. No matter if you know everything about God or nothing at all God invites all to follow. Remember it is never too late to start following the Lord. If you ever feel like a fraud or feel lost in your faith seek God and you shall find. Take some time each day this week to reflect on your journey of faith. Start by setting aside 10-15 minutes in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. During this time write down your thoughts about your faith and make sure to be honest with yourself. By simply acknowledging where you lack or where you need God the most in your life, you are taking steps to be saved.

My faith journey was a rocky one but was completely worth it. God is there for me and all. To this day, feeling like a fraud can make me question my identity as a Catholic. But I want to remind you that being a Catholic is so much more than memorization of prayers or Bible verses. Being a Catholic means putting your full trust in faith in God and building a relationship with God. Go forth and find the Lord because he will rejoice in your salvation, just as the shepherd rejoiced in the saving of the sheep.