Serving the Prodigal Son

When Bishop Antonious Morkos, the Bishop of Evangelism in Africa and South Africa, was asked if aliens were among us, he responded, “I do not know, but if there are, we would fly a rocket ship there, and we will preach to them and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” This response perfectly encapsulates our purpose on earth as Christians. Our sole mission is to "seek and save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10), even if that includes aliens. But this raises a deeper question: what about those who have strayed? The ones we grew up with who slipped through the cracks? Those who have felt alienated by us. Those who have gradually disappeared from our lives— fading into shadows of our memories from old Sunday school trips? The ones who may have strayed because of our actions or, more painfully, our inaction?

As Christians and servants, we are called to "do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." (2 Timothy 4:5). Our ministry begins at home, with our fellow classmates and children who have left the church, who—although still Christian—live as though they are not. This is something Fr. Bishoy Kamel was renowned for. It is written that his heart ached whenever a sheep was lost or in danger of being lost. This burden weighed heavily on him. Whenever he heard that someone was weakening in their faith or considering abandoning Christ, he would seek out that lost soul with all his strength. He would pour himself out in prayer before the altar, determined by the grace of God to bring that soul back.

Many of us know the story of how he clung to a police car that was taking away a young woman who had forsaken Christ. He held on to that car to the point of being dragged on the road. The oYicers had to stop the car to avoid seriously injuring him. Fr. Bishoy Kamel was willing to risk his life for the salvation of someone he dearly loved. His example teaches us that the first step in our service as evangelists is love. St. Paul tells us, "Let all that you do be done with love" (1 Corinthians 16:14). Without love, our service is in vain. Love is what reaches the heart, softens it, and lingers long after the words are forgotten. Acts of love are what people remember most from those who serve them.

It’s important to recognize that many who leave the church do so because they feel a lack of love. Perhaps they had a painful experience, or maybe they realized that no one noticed when they disappeared. They feel as outcasts, forgotten, so they have went to try to find love and satisfaction in the secular world just like the prodigal son did. To begin the healing process, we must pour out all the love God has given us into these individuals. We must show them, with our words and actions, that we would sacrifice everything for their return. This love is not easy—it requires great eYort and sacrifice—but just as we would sacrifice for our friends or family, we must love these souls with that same intensity. We must communicate to them that the love that God has for them is beyond anything that the world can give, and just like the Father in the prodigal son was waiting patiently with open arms, God is waiting for their joyous return where He will grant them all their hearts desire, for He the One who does more than we can ever ask or understand.

To achieve this level of love, something more is required: repentance. Love and repentance are intertwined. Repentance is the most profound act of love we can do for another person. Repenting not only for ourselves but for others is a powerful form of intercession. The more we purify our hearts through repentance, the more we return to the image of God in which we were created. And as we do, we become embodiments of Love. With repentance comes prayer—prayer that unites our hearts with our fellow human beings, sharing in their joys and sorrows, and praying for their salvation as if it were our own. Through prayer, we forget ourselves and focus entirely on the other, just as Christ did for us. In this mission, we must not content ourselves with striving for personal salvation alone.

It is our calling and our responsibility to seek out those who have wandered from the faith, so that we do not find ourselves in Cain's place, hearing God ask, “Where is your brother?... The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground” (Genesis 4:9- 10). Let us never allow their absence to be a silent witness against us. Instead, we must remember that "there is great joy in the presence of God's angels over one sinner who repents" (Luke 15:10).

Imagine that: the angels rejoicing over the soul you helped return. There is no greater joy, both in heaven and in our own hearts, than witnessing that transformation, knowing that through love, repentance, and prayer, we have brought a soul back to Christ.