There is an old saying that God can write straight with crooked lines. It is a comment that fits the parable we hear in the Gospel text this weekend. Jesus told the parable because the Scribes and the Pharisees had complained about his kind treatment of known sinners. But if the Scribes and Pharisees were really the good people they claimed to be, they would have been glad to see sinners being led to repentance.
In the parable, they are represented by the older son who, by his own estimation, had remained loyal to his father. This older son, however, was guilty of envy, and his father told him he, too, should have rejoiced over the return of his brother. The younger brother had, indeed, been foolish in his sin, but the older brother was equally foolish in his self- righteousness and envy. In this special season of grace, we are reminded that whatever our sins may be, our God is a loving Father who welcomes back the repentant sinner with open arms. Such should be the attitude of our Church as well: that she welcomes and embraces all manner of people – of whatever orientation in life. We should pray for the conversion of all people of goodwill and welcome all who come to us. If others have wandered away from their Father’s home, they should be our concern. We should be praying for them. We should even attempt to search them out to lead them back to God. It certainly should be a source of great joy to know that a person has repented.
Very importantly too, is the fact that the love and forgiveness of the Father comes to play when this son coming to his senses . . . thought!!! As wandering children of God, it is not for us to compel God to accept us the way we want. This God of ours has created us and expects certain behaviour from us – a certain way of living. Our society today wants to compel God and the Church to accept behaviour and conduct that society itself has fashioned out. NO! This is where we differ from the prodigal son. He came to his senses and decided to come back and, in the process, met the forgiveness of the Father. Let our society come to her senses. . .
Fr. Gabriel Wankar
Priest-in-Residence