Reading I: Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14
Reading II: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
GOSPEL: Luke 15:1-32
“Sinners Wanted” signed, God
“…there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.”
It’s a very well-known passage of scripture, but I think it’s often misunderstood. Does this passage mean that sinners will be welcomed more warmly into heaven than the “good” people? If you go on to read the story of the Prodigal Son, then this misunderstanding is reinforced even more! So, what’s really the scoop?
So, You Want to be a Sinner?
The first thing we need to consider is just exactly who qualifies as a sinner. It’s probably safe to assume that some biblical players are still in the running today – tax collectors (i.e. IRS auditors?) – but for the most part, there is no real “list” of sinners.
When I stop to think about it though, I realize that trying to define “sinner” is not really important, for it puts me in a position where I am judging others. The fact of the matter is that I am a sinner… and that’s all I need to know. I am a good man, but a flawed one. I sin, and I need to ask for forgiveness from the Lord. And therein lies the key.
Are You Truly Sorry?
Much like every grown person in the United States at the time, I watched in horror as the tragedy of 9/11/2001 unfolded. And like everyone else, my emotions ran the gamut from heartache to righteous anger – and possibly even hatred. I looked at the people who did those horrible deeds and asked myself, “Will they be forgiven?”
And that raises the more pertinent question: When they stand before the Lord on the last day, will they even ask to be forgiven? The key to being forgiven is to truly want it. In today’s Gospel reading, that’s what happened to the prodigal son. He finally came to his senses and returned home to ask his father for forgiveness.
The one thing that differentiates the prodigal son from the majority of us is the extent of forgiveness being asked! When I ask for forgiveness, I tend to ask that everything will return to the way it was before the sin. I just want to say, “I’m sorry” and have everything be alright… to be “back to normal.” The prodigal son knew better than this, though.
Lord, It’s Hard to be Humble
When the prodigal son returns, he doesn’t ask to be reinstated as a son in his father’s house. Rather, he apologizes for his transgressions and begs his father to forgive him enough to bring him back as a household servant. It’s exactly this attitude that lets his father know that his son is truly feeling repentant. And it’s this attitude that makes it easier to grant forgiveness and welcome his son home.
When the older son comes on the scene, it’s easy to think, “Wait a minute! This guy has been the ideal son and he’s getting the shaft for it!” It used to make me wonder if there was much of a point in striving to be “good.” What I always missed before was the overall attitude of the older son. Upon hearing what’s going on, he gets indignant, selfish and very self-righteous. Instead of humbly accepting his father’s decision and feeling joy that his brother had returned, the older son rants and condemns his younger brother.
When Jesus told this story, the eldest son represented the Pharisees, and this made them squirm just a little bit. Were they being self-righteous? Did they resent that God may not have heaped blessings upon them? Were they jealous of the fact that the Lord, through his Son, was welcoming “sinners” into his fold?
Be Yourself – Be Sincere
We are sinners, you and me. But Christ has died for our sins, so that we may have new life. During Mass, to acknowledge this fact, we say, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” We place ourselves humbly before the Lord and ask that he heal us.
So, the point of the story of the Prodigal Son is that if we are sincere in our request, we will be healed. If we think about those words and do more than simply regurgitate them week after week, then our Father will welcome us home. In the house of the Lord, sinners are definitely wanted – but they must truly want to be there and want to be forgiven.
Life Applications:
How often do you ask for forgiveness from others? From God?
Who are the people you know who remind you of the eldest son?
How difficult is it to ask someone for forgiveness?
How difficult is it to grant forgiveness to someone who sincerely requests it?
Check out the REAL Word Podcast for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C):
Original article by Brandon Jubar, 2001 – 2022.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.