Gospel: Luke 15:1-32
The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them:
‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” he would say “I have found my sheep that was lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.
‘Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” she would say “I have found the drachma I lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.’
He also said, ‘A man had two sons. The younger said to his father, “Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me.” So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery.
‘When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch, so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled his belly with the husks the pigs were eating but no one offered him anything. Then he came to his senses and said, “How many of my father’s paid servants have more food than they want, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your paid servants.” So he left the place and went back to his father.
‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Then his son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” And they began to celebrate.
‘Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. “Your brother has come” replied the servant “and your father has killed the calf we had fattened because he has got him back safe and sound.” He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out to plead with him; but he answered his father, “Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property – he and his women – you kill the calf we had been fattening.”
‘The father said, “My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.”‘
Luke 15:1-32
Reflection:
Today’s gospel is from Luke 15:1-32 and this talks about the parable of the two sons. One with whom the father can trust the other is whom the father misses.
Reading the gospel from Luke 15:1-32, these things comes to my mind:
Jealousy, love of a father, repentance, forgiveness
Jealousy
The other son who is always trusted by the father is too good that he always do what his father says. He helped him in everything he could and he is loyal to his father. Yet, there is also a slight of jealousy in him when he saw his brother came home and welcomed by his farther. In a shallow sense, we see that the brother is jealous by what his father did but there is something deep in it. The brother should not get jealous because in the first place, he is always there side by side with his father. He is always there and it means he is the epitome of a good son. He never gets swayed by temptations all the way.
Love of a Father
The gospel from Luke 15:1-32 is a clear manifestation that a father will always accept his child. This means that a father’s love in unconditional and forgiving. He does abandon his child.
Repentance
The younger brother repented and asked his father for a second chance. The father was glad to see his other son so he prepared a banquet for him.
Forgiveness
The father forgave his son and is happy that he is back to him. He sees that his son repented so he forgave him.
Luke 15:1-32 reminds us that we are like the sons. Some of us are the good son, while many of us are the other son. We all get lost from time to time but every time we realized and prayed hard, God never abandoned us. We are Hi son and He is the father in heaven who looked upon us with love and mercy. – Clea | Helpline PH
