Make yourself searchable: Instead of running away, Run towards Him
Listening to the Spirit
Lord, thank you for the gift of Your Word
so that all your people may know and love You more
and understand You better.
As I go about my day may I not forget
the scriptures you have opened up for me.
Help me to recognize how You want for me
to apply Your Word to my daily life.
Holy Spirit, guided by Your Word,
may You enlighten my mind
and enkindle in my heart
a greater love for You and for others
in my family and in the world.
Amen.
Listening to the Word
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on[b] the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to make merry.
“Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
Reflection
Our world today is a witness to so many merciless acts leading to the loss of lives; the destruction of societies and even of creation. We need to rediscover the mercy coming from God. This is the good news that we have this Sunday. “God is merciful” (cf. Luke 6:36). In fact, every Sunday God’s mercy is proclaimed in different forms. But this Sunday it is explicitly placed at the heart of our gospel reading, the famous fifteenth chapter of Saint Luke; the three parables of Mercy: ‘Good Shepherd’s mercy”, “Maternal mercy” and “Paternal mercy.” Some people even say that the fifteenth chapter of Saint Luke is the gospel in or within the four Gospels. Indeed, the occasion on which these three parables are told by Jesus throws light to this core: “Tax collectors and public sinners were coming close to Jesus in order to listen to him” (cf. Luke 15:1). This is an important detail. Look at how the sinners; those who were considered impure were getting attracted to Jesus. Instead of them being ashamed or afraid of coming close to the holy one, they were drawn to him. It is as though the sinners found in Jesus something that they were looking for; something that would not destroy them; something called mercy that would instead restore them to life. Unfortunately, the Pharisees and the scribes who saw all of this started complaining. In contrast to the eagerness and the joy of the sinners in having Jesus near them; they complained that Jesus was entertaining sinners. He was even eating with them; sharing life with Him; how could he allow the sinners to share life with him. And so you have two different reactions. The public sinners being drawn to Jesus; and the Pharisees and the scribes complaining. Their expectation perhaps was Jesus should send these sinners away. Like some modern day Catholics who are a little scandalized in our church. Why are they scandalized? Others will say why should I go to church? Why am I still going to church; there are many sinners there. If the church is really filled with the Holy Spirit; if the church is truly a holy place; If the church want to maintain her holiness; the proper response to sinners is to drive them away; the church should have no place in their lives and they should not have any place in the church. Hmm! We need to rediscover the mercy coming from God!
As a premise for this short reflection on the three parables of mercy of today’s Gospel (the one of the lost sheep, the one of the lost coin and the one of the prodigal son:‘Good Shepherd’s mercy”, “Maternal mercy” and “Paternal mercy” respectively ), I’d like to propose this interpretation: each of us is the beloved lost sheep, the useful lost coin and the son who, in addition to throwing away the inheritance of the Father, has thrown away himself. The good news is God never gets tired looking for the lost; looking for all of us. For all of us are lost in one way or another. But the important thing is to understand that God seeks each of us. There may be times that we will be lost but still allow ourselves to be found by God. God continues the search for us at any time when we are hidden in darkness. So, this Sunday is a good time to make ourselves searchable, to let God find us so he may heal us and celebrate us. And if we understand that each of us is loved and free in God, instead of running away, we will run towards him.
The voice of Jesus that we hear in today’s Gospel reveals to us the face of his and our Father. He came into the world for this: to talk to us about the Father of infinite mercy, to make him known to us, lost children, and to revive in our hearts the joy of belonging to him, the hope of being forgiven and returned to our full dignity, and the desire to live forever in his home which is also our home and place of joy. This is why all three parables end speaking of happiness and joy because “there will be joy in heaven for one sinner who is converted rather than for ninety-nine just“ (Luke 15:7). Indeed, thanks to his mercy we can enter the joy of the Kingdom of God. Let us share this mercy and be craftsmen of consolation and peace growing in the awareness that Jesus watches over us with infinite compassion.
Gospel Reflections
Allowing Jesus to Change Us
Who Is Jesus for Me? From Encounter to Mission
