Saturday, September 11, 2010

24th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Parable of Lost Sheep, Lost Coin and the Lost Son (Lk 15:1-32)

Introduction

- All the media are busy with finding the defects of others especially politicians, government, various departments and so on. It is evident in these days’s news about the hostage crisis.

- Is there any defect in Jesus Christ? Arch Bishop Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan from Vietnam after his 13 years of imprisonment under communist government came up with his book Testimony of Hope saying Jesus has 10 defects. I mention here five of them.

Content

- The first defect of Jesus is; He does not have a good memory.

o Eg – He forgives all the sins of the thief who was at His right side on the cross. He forgot all of his past evil actions and offers him a place in heaven. He would have said like this, “ok, I forgive your sins but considering all your mistake go to the purgatory for some years and then enter into heaven”.

o Eg – To the sinful women who was brought to stone to death Jesus says, “your sins are forgiven”, even without asking about her sins or saying her to repent. Jesus forgets all these things

- The second defect of Jesus is; Jesus in not good in mathematics

o Eg – for Jesus 99 is equal to 1. In the parable of lost sheep he makes One more valuable than 99.

o Eg – for Jesus 5 bread is equal to more than 5000, in the multiplication of bread, to feed all the people.

- The third defect of Jesus is; Jesus knows nothing about logic

o Eg – In the parable of Lost Coin, the widow celebrates at night with her neighbors for finding out her lost one coin. She might have spent more than 10 coins for the celebration.

o Eg – in Miraculous Fish Catch, though the disciples told him that they tried the whole night to catch the fish, Jesus told them to try once again.

- The fourth defect of Jesus is; He is adventurer and does not know how to attract the followers.

o The usual way of attracting the followers are – “If you follow me I will give you a greater position in the government or more wealth or other material benefits”. But for Jesus, “if you would follow me I have to carry the cross”.

o Persecution and death are the offers of Jesus. Son of man has nowhere to lay his head (Mt 8:20)

o Those who would like to follow Jesus should deny himself; leave parents and brothers and sisters etc...

- The fifth defect of Jesus is; He knows nothing about finance and economy

o Eg – Distribution of wages among the laborers of vineyard. Everybody got the same wage.

Conclusion

- Why Jesus has defects

o Because He sees things with His heart and not with His intellect.

o His Sacred Heart is full of love

o Because of His weakness we receive His blessings and are here for this Holy Eucharist in spite of our unworthiness.

- What is our challenge

o To participate in His love that comes from the heart.

o As a mother love her child in spite of his/her problems and deficiencies.

o Let us use more our heat in our relationship than our intellect. It will enable to love more, forgive more and accept more.

(Courtesy to Fr. Wilson C. CMI)

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