The Cat that Got Away

My mother has three cats at home. But among her pets, Whitey seems to be her favorite. The white with few black spots tomcat always wakes her up by making noises near her bedroom window at dawn so she could start her day. Then, my mother would let the said cat inside our home as it chases mouse.

However, last new year Whitey did not come home. It was Whitey’s attitude to go out of our home after his evening meal and return at dawn to wake my mother up. But at that time, he just disappeared. My mother waited for days but it appears Whitey was gone without us knowing his whereabouts. Days passed and then months came but still there was no Whitey. Eventually, my mother accepted the fact that her favorite pet is not coming back anymore. She moved on and now have adopted additional three more cats at home. But there was no one that is like Whitey. Whitey became the cat that got away.

Just like Whitey, there are also persons in our lives who have been gone and never came back. It could be that we lost the person through death, broken relationship or it just that we lost contact with a family or a friend through the years. On this note, we tend to move on and for those loved ones of ours who died we hope to see them in heaven. Unlike Whitey that never came back, we still have the chance to restore relationships and keep in touch with those whom we haven’t seen for sometime.

There are also moments, that we lost touch with God. We’ve gone astray like a sheep without a shepherd. We cease to pray and sever our relationship with Him by not going to church. Instead, we busy ourselves with work and other worldly things. But by God’s grace we meet people who help us go back and restore our relationship with the Lord. God with his unconditional love always welcome us back in His loving arms. Like the parable of the lost son in Luke 15:11-32 where the said son set off for a distant country and there squandered his father’s wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything returned home and was welcomed by the father with compassion throwing his arms around him and even kissed the son. The lost son asked for forgiveness and was forgiven by the father. A celebration was even prepared for him.

What a beautiful story of a lost that was found again. Indeed, there is still hope for those who have gone away, hope for broken relationships being mended again, rekindling relationships with forgotten relatives and friends. And all that will happen if we are open with the idea of reaching out to them and at the same time have the welcoming and loving attitude as they return into our lives.

For those who have lost someone, be reminded by what is written in Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Always trust the Lord, who knows the one that was lost will be found again.

“If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.” – St. Clement of Alexandria