Corpus Christi College
November 3, 2005
Rom 14:7-12; Lk 15:1-10
God’s mercy
We hear in the Gospel today two parables told by Jesus: the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin. They are actually followed immediately by the related parable of the Prodigal Son. These three parables in chapter 15 of Luke’s Gospel are commonly called the ‘three parables of God’s mercy.’ However, the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin are short and simple compared to the parable of the prodigal Son.
Jesus spoke these parables as his response to the Pharisees and scribes who were grumbling about his attitude toward the tax collectors and sinners “who were coming to listen to him.” The Pharisees, being righteous as they were, simply couldn’t accept the fact that offering hospitality and sharing meals with the social outcasts are acceptable in the eyes of God.
In the eyes of the Pharisees, associating with sinners is an irreligious and scandalous act. To serve as host at the table for tax collectors is beyond their imagination. They were grumbling because this is exactly what Jesus was doing.
Why is someone like Jesus, who claims to be the Messiah, making friends with sinners whose bad reputations are known to the public? Does he know what he’s doing?
The righteous contempt of the Pharisees shows how much they misunderstood the mercy and compassion of God to sinners.
The Pharisees’ grudging spirit prevents them from understanding that God’s love encompasses everyone, including the tax collectors and sinners. Their self-righteousness blinds them from realising we are all equal in the eyes of God. Since each one of us is a child of God, whether a person is holy or not, God’s mercy is available to them.
This links with St. Paul’s warning in the first reading, “Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.”
Joy in finding the lost
The joy of the shepherd and the woman is the description of God’s joy at the repentance of a sinner.
When Jesus told the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, he didn’t intend his audience to look simply at the reaction of the shepherd and the woman when they lost a part of their property. What Jesus emphasized was the joy of finding what was lost.
The shepherd shouts out loud to his friends and neighbours: “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.”
Likewise, the joy of the woman after finding her lost coin outweighs her tireless efforts in searching and sweeping the entire house just to find it. She’s even willing to throw a party for her friends which would cost her a lot of money.
The woman cries out, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.”
Challenge
The challenge of the Gospel for us today is the same challenge which Jesus gave to the Pharisees: Are we willing to celebrate with God and his angels who rejoice each time a repentant sinner comes to Jesus?
Those who find God’s mercy offensive can’t celebrate with the angels when a sinner repents.
“The parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin expose the grudging spirit that prevents us from receiving God’s mercy.
Only those who can celebrate God’s grace to others can experience that mercy themselves.”
November 3, 2005
Rom 14:7-12; Lk 15:1-10
God’s mercy
We hear in the Gospel today two parables told by Jesus: the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin. They are actually followed immediately by the related parable of the Prodigal Son. These three parables in chapter 15 of Luke’s Gospel are commonly called the ‘three parables of God’s mercy.’ However, the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin are short and simple compared to the parable of the prodigal Son.
Jesus spoke these parables as his response to the Pharisees and scribes who were grumbling about his attitude toward the tax collectors and sinners “who were coming to listen to him.” The Pharisees, being righteous as they were, simply couldn’t accept the fact that offering hospitality and sharing meals with the social outcasts are acceptable in the eyes of God.
In the eyes of the Pharisees, associating with sinners is an irreligious and scandalous act. To serve as host at the table for tax collectors is beyond their imagination. They were grumbling because this is exactly what Jesus was doing.
Why is someone like Jesus, who claims to be the Messiah, making friends with sinners whose bad reputations are known to the public? Does he know what he’s doing?
The righteous contempt of the Pharisees shows how much they misunderstood the mercy and compassion of God to sinners.
The Pharisees’ grudging spirit prevents them from understanding that God’s love encompasses everyone, including the tax collectors and sinners. Their self-righteousness blinds them from realising we are all equal in the eyes of God. Since each one of us is a child of God, whether a person is holy or not, God’s mercy is available to them.
This links with St. Paul’s warning in the first reading, “Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.”
Joy in finding the lost
The joy of the shepherd and the woman is the description of God’s joy at the repentance of a sinner.
When Jesus told the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, he didn’t intend his audience to look simply at the reaction of the shepherd and the woman when they lost a part of their property. What Jesus emphasized was the joy of finding what was lost.
The shepherd shouts out loud to his friends and neighbours: “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.”
Likewise, the joy of the woman after finding her lost coin outweighs her tireless efforts in searching and sweeping the entire house just to find it. She’s even willing to throw a party for her friends which would cost her a lot of money.
The woman cries out, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.”
Challenge
The challenge of the Gospel for us today is the same challenge which Jesus gave to the Pharisees: Are we willing to celebrate with God and his angels who rejoice each time a repentant sinner comes to Jesus?
Those who find God’s mercy offensive can’t celebrate with the angels when a sinner repents.
“The parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin expose the grudging spirit that prevents us from receiving God’s mercy.
Only those who can celebrate God’s grace to others can experience that mercy themselves.”
No comments:
Post a Comment