HOMILIES

Dear Audience,
For better understanding of the spiritual message behind this homily I kindly remind you to first read and contemplate the biblical texts before reading or listening to my preaching - a human reflection on the Word of God!

Twenty Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year C)

Sep 11, 2016

1912

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First Reading

A reading from the Book of Exodus (32:7-11, 13-14)

The Lord said to Moses, "God down at once to your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, for they have become depraved. They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them, making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it, sacrificing to it and crying out, "This is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!" I see how stiff-necked this people is," continued the Lord to Moses. "Let me alone, then, that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation."

But Moses implored the Lord, his God, saying, "Why, O Lord, should your wrath blaze up against your own people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with such great power and with so strong a hand? Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and how you swore to them by your own self, saying, "I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and all this land that I promised, I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage."" So the Lord relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms of David (51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19)

(R) I will rise and go to my father.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offence. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. (R)

A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your holy spirit take not from me. (R)

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. (R)

Second Reading

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy (1:12-17)

Beloved: I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry. I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and arrogant, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost. But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life. To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God, honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Gospel

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (15:1-32)

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 to them he addressed this parable. "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."

Then he said, "A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, "Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me." So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.

When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, "How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."" So he got up and went back to his father.

While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son." But his father ordered his servants, "Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found." Then the celebration began.

Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, "Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound."

He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, "Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns, who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him, you slaughter the fattened calf." He said to him, "My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found."

(P) The Gospel of the Lord.
(R) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Homily

One day a little boy came home after playing in muddy puddles in the yard and asked his mother, "Who am I, Mom? His mother, pretending not to recognize him, replied, "I don't know! Who are you?" The boy excitedly cried out, "Our neighbor was right, Mom! She told me, "You are so dirty that your own mother wouldn't recognize you!"

The Bible tells us that God is our Abba Father, and His love is tender, warm and intimate. He recognizes all of us, His children, regardless of our conditions, and with great joy, welcomes us back into His Home. Yes. God, our Father, sees us very differently from the way we see ourselves and the way others see us. Humans look at our outward appearances, but God sees our hearts, as the prophet Samuel says, 1 (Samuel 16:7). This is the message from today's gospel as well.

Luke (15:1-32), narrates three parables about losing, finding, and rejoicing. According to the text, one day the outcasts of the society, the tax collectors and sinners approached Jesus, eager to hear Him speak. But the Pharisees and scribes were upset that Jesus was associating with such sinful people and even eating with them. So Jesus told them three stories.

The first story was about a lost sheep. Jesus described a shepherd who would leave all his sheep in a secure fold in the wilderness and go after a lost sheep. When the shepherd finds the sheep, he puts it on his shoulders, carries it home, and calls his friends and neighbors to come and celebrate with him. In the same way, Jesus said that there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents - like the sinners who had come to hear Jesus - than over the ninety nine righteous people - like the Pharisees and scribes who had condemned and judged sinners.

The second story was about a lost coin. Again, Jesus talked about how a woman, who had only ten coins, desperately searches for the lost coin. When she finds it she is overjoyed, and calls her friends and neighbors to come and celebrate with her. In the same way, Jesus said that angels will rejoice at the repentance of one sinner.

The third story is about a lost son. The loving father is at the center of this story. Even though his younger son went off with his inheritance and squandered the money, the father did not forget his son. He waited for his son to return home. Upon his return, the father, full of love and compassion ran out, embraced him and forgave him even before the son could utter one word of repentance. And then the father invited all his friends to come and celebrate his son's return.

But Jesus did not end there. He continued the story with the reaction of the elder son. When the elder son learned that his brother had returned, and that his father was throwing a party for him, he became resentful, judgmental, envious, hostile, bitter, angry and self-righteous, and refused to enter his father's house to join in the celebration. But his father came outside to plead with him to go in. The elder son complained to his father that he had always been faithful and obedient throughout the years, but his father had never given him any party for him and his friends. Even though when the father had pointed out to his eldest son that all that he had belonged to him, there was no response from the son. The end of the story is missing. It is an obvious illustration of the behavior of the Pharisees and scribes who did not believe in Jesus and His gospel till the end.

What lessons can we learn many from this gospel?

A sheep is valuable, money is more valuable, but for God we are the most valuable of all because we are his children made in His image. God sees our souls as the most valuable in the world and He does not want our souls to perish.
God, our Father, loves us so much that He gives us freedom to make our own decisions. Sometimes we insist on doing things our own way, and run away from God's presence.
God, our Father, is all mercy and love. He always patiently and lovingly waits for us. It doesn't matter what we have done or how much wrong we have done. He does not wait to condemn us or punish us when we return but rather He waits for an opportunity to run to us, and greet us with a kiss to welcome us back.
God, our Father, welcomes us back when we truly repent and return to Him. He welcomes us as his children into His house, and supplies us with all our needs. He fills our life with good things. He satisfies our every longing. He heals our hurts and replaces our sorrows with joy.
God, our Father, extends His care and compassion to both the righteous and sinners alike. He wants everyone to come to the party. He wants us to set aside our self-righteousness and, with humility, accept His unconditional love and rejoice over others who have returned to receive His graces and blessings.
God, our Father, gives us another great opportunity today to go back to Him. We do not have to wait until we live a perfect life, to return to Him.

Let us, like the Prodigal Son, arise and go back to our Father.

(P) Amen.

God Bless You!

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