Lk. 15:1-32
In today’s gospel passage we see that the multitude was attracted to the teachings of Jesus, especially the so-called last, the least, and the lost of society, such as the tax collectors, the prostitutes, etc. Added to this, Jesus also shared his table fellowship with these so-called national traitors and sinners. They were considered national traitors because the tax collectors gathered tax from their own citizens for the Roman empire and in an unjust and rude manner, demanded more from the people so as to satisfy their greed also. Prostitutes find their means of livelihood by offering their bodies to satisfy the sexual needs of Roman soldiers who are away from their land. Thus, these two categories were treated as sinners and national traitors who corrupted the patriotic feelings of the Jewish nation. Therefore, the Pharisees and scribes were very sceptical about Jesus’ compassionate approach towards them.
In this context, Jesus shares the three parables, conveying a similar message of God’s unconditional love and boundless mercy. In the first parable, we see the shepherd going behind the lost sheep, leaving behind the ninety-nine who did not go astray. The shepherd neither thought to let it come back by itself nor remained. Instead, he dedicates his entire energy and effort to finding the missing one. In the end, he succeeds. He celebrates the happiness of finding the lost one.
In the second parable, we see the woman who lost the coin embark on a relentless search to find the lost coin. This home maker did not leave any stone unturned. She checks every nook and cranny of the house. She continues her search until she finds the coin. Then she threw a party for her dear ones, which cost much more than the value of the lost coin.
In the third parable, we see a human being who is lost. He enjoyed every bit of his stay at his father’s house, yet he was not satisfied. He thinks that the freedom he feels outside his father’s house could satisfy him more. Therefore, while his father is alive, he demands his property and leaves his household, the place in which he was loved and cared for. Gradually, he realises that the freedom that he thought could satisfy him had to pay the price of losing all that he had from his father’s house. He comes to the awareness that the freedom that he enjoyed without responsibility looted him to the extent of ending his journey in the pigsty, wherein he was denied even the food of pigs. An unimaginable and tragic end that a Jewish man can think of. In the absence of all that he had, he comes to his senses and becomes aware of the fact that the greatest wealth in his life was not material possessions but his father’s love. In fact, he returns to his father’s house without expecting anything because he is not worthy of it anymore. However, it was enough for him to be and live in the presence of his father as one of his hired servants. Therefore, by his own free choice, he gets back to his father’s house. Therein lies the great surprise for him. Whatever, he thought that what was lost forever would be restored unconditionally. The father runs up to him and hugs him, not even letting him say what he did wrong or how sorry he was.His focus is only on his son, who was once lost and dead but now lives again. giving him a new ring of honor, a robe of glory, sandals of protection, and wasting his love by throwing another party.
However, the eldest son was absolutely upset with his father’s response, who treated both sons in an equal manner. He states all his qualities and the valuable service that he rendered to his father, and yet he was not allowed to party with his friends. He even accuses his younger brother of the accusations that he did not even witness. Though the father assured him of all that belonged to him, he was not satisfied and tended to remain outside without participating in the joy of the return of his brother, who was lost.
These three parables depict the unconditional love and mercy of our Abba Father, who goes behind the lost, the least, and the lost, searching until he finds… He respects human freedom and awaits the person to take the first step on the return journey. When someone takes the first step towards him, he runs from afar and embraces him wholeheartedly. Through this parable, Jesus wants to tell us that God loves everyone in spite of their sinful past and failures. The so-called tax collectors and prostitutes are unconditionally loved and cared for by the Lord. The eldest son of the parable depicts the self-righteous attitude of the Pharisee and scribes who though appear to be in the Father’s house, are far away from his heart, failing to understand him and living not as a son but as a slave. This is the gospel message that we are called to proclaim that Jesus is love and he awaits our return. No one is beyond his redemption.