Gospel: Luke 15:1-10
The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to
Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man
welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So Jesus addressed this parable to them. “What
man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the
ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and,
upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice
with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, in just the same way there
will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine
righteous people who have no need of repentance.
“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp
and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? And when she does find it, she
calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me
because I have found the coin that I lost.’ In just the same way, I tell you, there
will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
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Reflection:
What is
your attitude toward the so called sinners of our society? For example if you
have a brother and you perceive him to be a sinner, how do you treat him? Should
you simply ignore him because you are angry with him for the many sins that he
committed? Or you would build bridge to seek him out and let him know that the love
of Jesus knows no bounds. That the love of Jesus is not diminished by the sins
that he has committed.
There are
many of us who give-up on the lost or sinners and we cannot blame ourselves for
this because this is basic human nature. For example if you have a spouse who
is a serial womanizer and you have
forgiven him for so many times and yet he does not change his ways. What is our
natural reaction to this kind of attitude? Isn’t that our natural reaction
is to raise our hands in surrender and give-up on that unrepentant spouse?
If we
give-up with sinners, Jesus doesn’t give-up He will continuously seek out the lost
or sinners until He finds them. And when Jesus finds them He will do everything
(without questions asked!) to let this sinner feel His infinite love and
forgiveness.
The
parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin is a showcase of the infinite love
of Jesus for us. We who are all sinners, we who continue to struggle with sin. There’s
hope after all for all of us sinners. And this hope is brought to us by the
infinite love and mercy of Jesus. Amen. - Marino J. Dasmarinas
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