September
11, 2016
24th
Sun OT
Exodus
32:7-11, 13-14; Psalm 51; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-32/Luke 15:1-10
There is this
story of a speaker who showed a crisp one-thousand-peso bill to the audience
and said, “I want to give this one-thousand-peso bill away. But first let me do
this.” He crumpled the money and said “Who wants it?” Several people from audience
raised their hands. Then he dropped the money on the ground and crushed it into
the floor with his shoe. He showed it to the people and said, “Now that it is crumpled
and dirty, who still wants it?” The same hands went up. He said, “No matter what
I do to the money, you still want it. Why? Because it did not decrease in
value.”
We can use this
analogy to describe God’s mercy and love in today’s gospel about the parables
of mercy. Our value in God’s eyes never changes. No matter how sinful we may
be, we remain to be precious in His eyes. What does the term “prodigal” mean?
If we look at the dictionary, the term
prodigal is defined as lavish and overflowing. With this we can say that
there are three characters, not only one, in the gospel today that can be
described as ‘prodigal.’ Who are they? What insight can we draw from them?
THE
FIRST CHARACTER IS THE PRODIGAL SON. He was prodigal, overflowing and
lavish with sin. It is disrespectful for a son to demand his inheritance before
his father’s death. What made it worse is that he spent his inheritance
lavishly indulging in sin. The Israelites in the first reading can be likened
to the prodigal son. After God gave them
freedom from slavery in Egypt, instead of using their freedom to express their
gratitude and faithfulness to the Lord, they used it to turn to other gods. They gathered all their jewelries and made a
golden calf out of it. This became their god. I believe we can all relate with
the prodigal son. Whenever we find ourselves lavishly indulging in sin, we are
like the prodigal son.
THE
SECOND CHARACTER IS THE PRODIGAL BROTHER. If the younger
son is prodigal in sin, the older son on the other hand is prodigal in work.
All his life he spent working with his father. He did not leave the house.
Exteriorly he did all the things a good son is supposed to do. But, interiorly,
he wandered away from his father. He did his duty, worked hard every day, but
became unhappy and unfree. In a certain sense, it is not only the younger son
who became lost by indulging in sin. The older son was also lost. He could not
find his rightful place in the family. He looked at himself as if he is a slave
and not anymore as a son. What will the Good Shepherd do to the lost ones? He
will bring them home.
THE
THIRD CHARACTER IS THE PRODIGAL FATHER. If the younger son is prodigal in
sin, and the older son is prodigal in work, the father on the other hand is
prodigal in forgiveness. The father in the parable is overflowing with mercy
and compassion. From the moment his son left him, he would always stand at the
door of his house and wait for his return. When his son finally returned home
from lavish spending, the father ran towards him and lavishly welcomed him with
love. The same is true with us when it comes to God. Our God will never tire of
anticipating our return not because he wants to condemn us but because he wants
us to experience his lavish love, overflowing mercy and compassion. Paul says
in the second reading that Jesus came not to destroy sinners but to bring them
home back to the Father.
My brothers and
sisters, the gospel parable presents us with three prodigal persons: prodigal
in sin, prodigal in work and prodigal in forgiveness. If we have to be
extravagant, lavish and prodigal, let it us imitate the prodigal Father who is
rich in mercy and compassion. Remember the invitation of Pope Francis this
Jubilee Year of Mercy: Be merciful like the Father. Imitate the lavish and
overflowing love of the Father. In this mass let us pray for this grace. Amen.
