Homily (Reflection) for the Twenty-Fourth
Sunday of the Year (C) (15th September, 2019) on the Gospel
Ex 32:7-11.13-14;
Ps 50:3-4.12-13.17.19 (R. Lk 15:18);1Tim 1:12-17;
Lk 15:1-32 or Lk 15:1-10.
Topic: When they need forgiveness.
The Pharisees and the scribes
called the tax collectors and sinners “the People of the Land” and prohibited
associating with them. It is written in their regulations, ‘When a man is one
of the People of the Land, entrust no money to him, take no testimony from him,
trust him with no secret, do not appoint him guardian of an orphan, do not make
him the custodian of charitable funds, do not accompany him on a journey’.[1]
They “looked sadistically forward not to the saving but to the destruction of
the sinner.”[2]
Hence the rabbis’ teaching, “Let no one go with the wicked, not even to try to
convince them to follow the law of God”.[3]
With these and many more, we can understand better why
seeing all the tax collectors and sinners coming to listen to Jesus in today’s
gospel, they grumbled and said, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with
them”. However, Jesus replied them with these three parables that make up
today’s gospel: the lost sheep (Lk 15:1-7), the lost coin (Lk 15:8-10),
and the loving father (Lk 15:11-32). Note that the parable of the
loving father is often referred to as The
parable of the prodigal son.
He asked them if any of them who has a hundred sheep would
not leave ninety-nine in the wilderness and search for one if lost. When he
finds it, he would put it on his shoulders and rejoice. He would also invite
his friends and neighbours to rejoice with him. Similarly, a woman who lost one
out of ten silver coins she had would light a lamp and searched carefully for
it. She would invite her friends and neighbours to rejoice with her if she
finds it. Jesus concludes the first two parables telling them that there will
be more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents than over ninety-nine who
need no repentance.
The loving father had two sons. And the younger one demanded
and took his own share of their father’s wealth to a distant land and
squandered it after which things got really bad. When he returned to his father
for forgiveness he was immediately reinstated to his princely position instead
of being treated as a hired servant he prayed for. The loving father celebrated
his return although his elder brother got so angry that he refused to enter the
house. He felt their father was unfair.
Jesus did not emphasize forgiveness for any to go on and
sin, cf. Rom 6:15. However, every
sinner should not hesitate to come back to our loving Father, cf. 1Jn 2:1. We must remember always that
Christ bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live
to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed, cf. 1Pt 2:24.
In one of the
episodes of the comic strip “Peanuts”, Lucy has a helium-filled balloon which
she gives to Snoopy, saying, “I’m going in for lunch, Snoopy.... Hold this for
me.”
She puts the
string of the balloon in his mouth and warns him, “Whatever you do, don’t let
of it!”
So Snoopy sits
there motionless, holding the balloon. It must have been a long lunch, because
eventually he falls asleep, still holding on to the balloon. During his nap he
yawns and, of course, the balloon takes off.
In that twilight zone between sleeping and waking he
realized what just happened and is suddenly wide awake in a panic. In the final
frame he is walking along a railroad track in the moonlight, with his
belongings in a sack tied to a pole on his shoulder, and saying to himself,
“Make one mistake and you’re doomed for life!”[4]
In conclusion, it is important to remember always that we
all need forgiveness. We can open the door of forgiveness for ourselves or
close it against ourselves. Whenever we refuse to forgive any, we close the
door of forgiveness against ourselves. To receive forgiveness, we must open the
door by forgiving others their trespasses first (cf. Matt 6:12, 14-15; Lk 11:4). Remember the parable of the unforgiving
servant, cf. Matt 18:21-35. Jesus
cautions, “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not
be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Lk 6:37). We must eschew the attitude of the Pharisees and the
scribes, the attitude of the elder son of the loving father, and the attitude
of Lucy in our story from our lives and replace them with the love of the
Father. God loves us so much that although He can make much more than the
number of humans that exist yet He does not want any to perish, cf. Matt 3:9. 18:14; Lk 3:8. He wants us to
“Go and do likewise” (Lk 10:37).
Bible Reading: Matt 6:5-15; Rom 6:15-23; 1Jn
2:1-6.
Thought for today: Everyone
needs forgiveness.
Let us pray: Lord, give us forgiving hearts to forgive
all who need forgiveness and also to encourage others to forgive – Amen.
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free to share this reflection with others if you consider it worthy.
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[1]
Barclay, W., (2006). The daily study bible, the gospel of Luke,
IV. Bangalore: Theological Publications in India, p. 199.
[2]
Barclay, W., (2006). The daily study bible, the gospel of Luke,
IV. p. 200.
[3]
Armellini, F., (2007). Celebrating the
word, Year C. Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa.
[4]
Fuller, G., (2010). Stories for all seasons. Mumbai: ST PAULS, p. 138.
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