Today’s gospel is a long text. But beautiful for our meditation. It is very known . and touching. After reading, we have to ask ourselves some important questions : How do we see people we consider as bad people ? How do we see people we consider sinners ? How do we see people who do not belong to our family or nation ? Do we consider bad , or worse than we are ? Why do we condemn those we consider sinners ? In today’s gospel we read the story where the Pharisees and the Scribes were scandalized to see Jesus eating with the sinners and tax collectors. They began to complain and criticize saying : This man welcomed sinners and those who had bad names. To respond to them, Jesus told 3 parables. In telling these parables Jesus wanted to teach them some important messages.
First of all: In eating and welcoming the sinners and tax collectors, Jesus showed that He loves sinners. He loves Human beings. Whoever you are Jesus loves you. But He rejects the wrong- doings of sinners, Jesus does not love what they do or did, for sure. When He goes to them, he has a mission to bring them back to God . In welcoming the sinners, as Shepherd, Jesus shows love to each sheep with a special care. And moved by love, He does all he can to bring the sinners back to God. That is why He eats with them. He visit them. He approach them. The loving heart of Jesus does not get too tired to seek out each sinner. Because no individual sheep is worth less than any other sheep. He loves all of us.
Secondly, Jesus wants to show the Pharisees and Scribes the real face of God. He shows them that God is loving, forgiving and merciful. He does not behave as they expected . And no one has the power to limit his love and forgiveness. When someone returns to his father, he repents of his sins. Then the father shows mercy toward him, and he has forgiven him. This gospel tells us the truth that God is a merciful Father. He is patiently waiting for the return of the sinners, ready to pardon them. If we come back to God and repent of our sins, then, like the prodigal son, we can experience the love, forgiveness, and mercy of God. He rejoices when sinners return to Him.
Thirdly, Jesus shows that his role is to seek the lost. And finding them, there is an experience of great joy. Seeking the lost indicates how important and special each person is in the eyes of God. In our world, the lost and least are not considered as important. They are simply left out or forgotten. Sometimes this happens in our families. There are parents who demonstrate favoritism to children who are brilliant, good looking, gifted. And those who are not they are simply left out. Hopefully today’s message help us to see everyone as God sees them, with compassion and mercy.
My brothers and sisters the central message of today’s readings is the invitation to believe in a loving, patient, merciful, and a forgiving God. Today’s readings remind us that God actively seeks out the lost, wants their repentance and rejoices when the lost are found. God is eager to be merciful toward us, not vengeful and punishing. He is always in search of His lost and straying children, as Jesus explains in the three parables of today’s Gospel. Now, how do we respond to Jesus : Let me say to you this: ‘Our sin is not the big deal we think it is; the big deal is our return to the merciful love of God. We pray today, we ask God for the grace to trust more in his mercy.
