Reflection for THURSDAY, 31st Week, Ordinary Time.

By 

          Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Director, Social Action Movement, Don Bosco Bidar


Today's Gospel Verses 

Luke 15:1-10    

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.  But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’  In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

 

Today's Reflection 

There had been many suggestions as to what is the most important verse or phrase in the Bible.

Well, the top contender seems to be John 3:16-17, follow by a host of profound Bible verses and passages.

Chapter 15 of the gospel of St. Luke may sound rather ordinary and today's gospel passage may just be about parables.

But nonetheless, today's gospel passage reflects the essential message of the Bible, and that is, it emphatically illustrates God's inexplicable and infinite love to save every man and woman whom He created in His image and likeness.

There are only 3 parables in Chapter 15 of the gospel of Luke - the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, the Prodigal Son.

The scribes and Pharisees criticized Jesus for always being in the company of sinners and ritually impure people and the so-called bad company.

But Jesus always had a very deep compassion towards these so-called sinners. He even said that it is not the well who need a doctor but the ill.

Even this aspect of Jesus is not often understood by us who are His disciples.

Because we too have this tendency to criticize and judge others according to our standards or beliefs.

We may be able to quote the profound verses and remember the important passages of the Bible.

May we also remember to put the core message of love in the Bible into our lives as disciples of Jesus.


         GOD BLESS YOU

Good morning. Have a nice day.