(Note: When the Scrutinies are used at Mass, the reflection
for Year A may be used in place of this one.)
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 Jesus addressed this parable.
Luke 15:1–3
This is good news! Our Lord “welcomes sinners and eats with
them.” For that reason, there is room at His table for you!
Sometimes it’s hard to admit that we are sinners. Of course
we know in our minds that we are. But our pride can easily lead us to justify
our sin, downplay it and conclude that we are not that bad after all. If you
find yourself thinking this way, be careful. Doing so will make you like the
Pharisees and scribes in the passage above. Clearly they did not see themselves
as sinners, which is why they condemned Jesus for welcoming sinners and eating
with them.
The passage above comes from the beginning of Chapter 15 of
Luke’s Gospel and serves as an introduction to three subsequent parables.
First, our Lord tells the Parable of the Lost Sheep, then the Parable of the
Lost Coin, and then the Parable found in the rest of today’s Gospel passage,
the Parable of the Lost Son. In the first parable, the shepherd who finds his
lost sheep rejoices. In the second parable, the woman who finds her lost coin
rejoices. And in the parable we read today, the father who finds his lost son
rejoices and throws a party to celebrate.
Return, again, to the passage above that introduces these
three parables: “Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to
Jesus.” Once they drew near, Jesus spoke to them about the joy of finding that
which was lost. Perhaps as Jesus initially spoke about the finding of the lost
sheep and lost coin, this would have resonated with these tax collectors and
sinners to a certain degree. But then our Lord tells them the long and detailed
story about this boy who disrespects his father, takes his inheritance,
squanders it on illicit living, and ends up with nothing. The story expresses
the confusion of this boy, his desperation, his guilt and his shame. We learn of
his interior thinking, reasoning, fears and anxiety.
As you ponder this parable, try to understand the effect
that it would have had upon the tax collectors and sinners who all drew near to
our Lord. They were spiritually hungry, just as the prodigal son was. They had
a past full of regret, just as this boy. They were unsatisfied in life and were
looking for a way out, just as this son of the loving father was. For these
reasons, those tax collectors and sinners who drew near Jesus would have been
mesmerized by all that Jesus taught them and filled with hope that they, too,
could share in the joy that was so generously bestowed upon this wayward son.
Reflect, today, upon the touching image of these tax
collectors and sinners drawing near to Jesus. Though they may have had a
certain fear and caution, they would have also had hope. Try to understand what
they must have thought and felt as they heard this story of the father’s
abundant mercy. Think about how they would have related as they discovered that
there was hope for them, too. If you struggle with being like the scribes and
Pharisees, reject that temptation. Instead, see yourself as one of those sinners
who drew near to our Lord and you will be the cause of joy in the Heart of the
Father in Heaven.
Most loving and compassionate Lord, tax collectors and
sinners were drawn to You. They found in You someone Who could free them from
the burdens they carried within. Please help me to see myself as one of those
humble souls in need of You and Your mercy. I reject my pride that leads me to
self-justification and pray for humility so that I can come to You and gladden
the Heart of the Father in Heaven. Jesus, I trust in You. (From My Catholic Life)