The Lost Sheep a Modern parable

"No," said Mom. No, I'm only 11 years old but I feel like I have heard that word more than 11 million times. "John I'm sorry but I can't take you tonight, I'm on call and Kenneth's house is too far from the hospital if I get called in," she said in a calmer tone. "But mom we have to see the new mission impossible that just came out," I replied desperately. "You can do it another night," she replied. Just then my little brother began crying over the baby monitor. "I'm really sorry John, just not tonight," she said. Then she rushed out of the room. As soon as my mom left the room my older sister, Kennedy, walked into the kitchen. "What's up?" she asked. "Mom's on call so she can't take me to Kenneth's house to watch Mission Impossible part 3. "Tough luck, I'm going with Trixie to see Pitch Perfect 2," she replied. "Great, it'll be me, Mom, and Toby in the house on a Friday night and my friends will think I'm an anti-social hermit," I said. All the guys are going and I'm not I thought.

Later that evening after Kennedy and Trixie left for the movie mom and I were sitting at the dining room table trying to think of something to do. Mom said, "why don't you invite Thomas from across the street over to watch one of the old mission impossibles and i'll make you cookies". "Mom it won't be the same without Ken," I said. She was quiet for a long time and I couldn't take her silence. "Mom it's fine sounds great," I said. She smiled "I knew no son of mine could turn down a good batch of cookies,"she said.

Soon Thomas and I were bike riding to the store because we were out of M & M's. Great, so as soon as I get a chance to hang out with even a semi-friend my mom sends me to the store. Tom was silent until we pulled up to the grocery store. "Does your mom always make you do her shopping for her," he asked. "No she is just on call tonight and can't leave the house for more than five minutes or else she can't make it to the hospital on time," I replied. We walked into the store and the first thing that I noticed was the sale on M&Ms. "Sweet," I said. "What," asked Tom. "My mom will be happy she saved money on these candies," I answered him. "So if there is a sale you should buy two and keep one for yourself,"he said casually. "No can do my mom keeps track of her receipts," I said annoyed he was trying to pressure me into it. "Well then you should throw out the receipts and tell her that they never gave you one" he said apparently annoyed at my cluelessness. I was beginning to think that he must have some experience with taking his parents money. I am pretty mad at my mom because she wouldn't let me go to Kenneth's house so I was tempted. I grabbed two bags and headed to the checkout counter. I was in line behind a woman with two children who was taking a long time. I began to feel guilty and went to return a bag but Tom grabbed my hand. "No second guessing," he said. "Hey," I retorted. "What, are you too chicken" he taunted. I shut my mouth and paid.

When we began to get closer to my house I felt the guilt setting in. When we pulled up to my house I saw Ms. Wilsons car in the driveway . She is my neighbor from two streets over, and mom usually calls her to watch my little brother when Kennedy is gone and she gets called in. If she got called in at least I have a few hours to decide what to do if mom got called in. "I have to go," said Tom. Tom is a little afraid of Ms. Wilson because she was his childhood babysitter. I went into the house and Ms. Wilson was sitting at the at the table reading a magazine. I said hi and then set down one bag of M&Ms and took the other one. I felt bad about buying them but if I went to all of that trouble but i'll get in more trouble if my mom finds them. The whole time I was sitting on the couch watching TV and eating M&Ms I was thinking about a sermon that my priest gave last week. He said that God loves us no matter our faults and that God always forgives us. When we are welcomed into the kingdom of heaven God will forgive our faults. I waited for my mom to come home and then I confessed. I said a prayer that God would forgive me.