Word of Life September 2011 "It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke.

Word of LifeWord of Life

September 2011September 2011

"It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive;

he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:32)

This passage is found at the end of the parable of The Prodigal Son, which you have certainly heard of. Jesus told this parable to

His disciples to show us the greatness of God's mercy.

This passage is found at the end of the parable of The Prodigal Son, which you have certainly heard of. Jesus told this parable to

His disciples to show us the greatness of God's mercy.

It concludes an entire chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke, where Jesus narrates two other

parables with the same theme.

It concludes an entire chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke, where Jesus narrates two other

parables with the same theme.

Do you recall the episode of the lost

sheep where the owner, in order to

search for it, left the

other ninety-nine sheep

in the desert ?

Do you recall the episode of the lost

sheep where the owner, in order to

search for it, left the

other ninety-nine sheep

in the desert ?

And remember

the story of the lost

drachma and the joy of the woman who, having found it, calls her friends and neighbours together, so

that they may rejoice with her?

And remember

the story of the lost

drachma and the joy of the woman who, having found it, calls her friends and neighbours together, so

that they may rejoice with her?

"It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead,

and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:32)

This is an invitation which God

offers to you, and to all those who believe, to rejoice with

Him, to celebrate and share His joy

over the return of the sinner who

was first lost and then

found again.

This is an invitation which God

offers to you, and to all those who believe, to rejoice with

Him, to celebrate and share His joy

over the return of the sinner who

was first lost and then

found again.

The father spoke these words to

his elder son who had lived with him all his life, but who upon

returning home from a hard day's work, refuses to enter his house

where they were celebrating the

return of his brother who had

left them to squander his inheritance.

The father spoke these words to

his elder son who had lived with him all his life, but who upon

returning home from a hard day's work, refuses to enter his house

where they were celebrating the

return of his brother who had

left them to squander his inheritance.

The father reaches out to his faithful son, in the same way that he went out towards his lost son, and tries to convince him. But

the contrast between the father's sentiments and those of his elder son could

not be greater:

The father reaches out to his faithful son, in the same way that he went out towards his lost son, and tries to convince him. But

the contrast between the father's sentiments and those of his elder son could

not be greater:

on one side, the father was full of

immeasurable love and great joy which he wanted

everyone to share;

on one side, the father was full of

immeasurable love and great joy which he wanted

everyone to share;

and on the other, the son showed only

contempt and jealousy for his brother whom he no

longer recognizes as

such. Referring to

him, in fact, he says: "This son of yours who has devoured

all your possessions"

and on the other, the son showed only

contempt and jealousy for his brother whom he no

longer recognizes as

such. Referring to

him, in fact, he says: "This son of yours who has devoured

all your possessions"

The love of the father and his joy at the return of his prodigal son serve to

underline even more the ill feelings harboured by the other son who had

remained with his father.

The love of the father and his joy at the return of his prodigal son serve to

underline even more the ill feelings harboured by the other son who had

remained with his father.

These ill feelings, however, reveal a cold and, one could say, false relationship between him and the father. We can

deduce from here that to this son, it is work and the fulfilment of his obligations which matter most; he does not love his father as a son should. Rather, we feel that he obeys his father as a servant

would obey his master.

These ill feelings, however, reveal a cold and, one could say, false relationship between him and the father. We can

deduce from here that to this son, it is work and the fulfilment of his obligations which matter most; he does not love his father as a son should. Rather, we feel that he obeys his father as a servant

would obey his master.

"It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead,

and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:32)

With these words, Jesus points out a danger that you could also fall into: that of behaving as an upright person, living a

life based on the search for your own perfection, and judging others whom you

think are not as good

With these words, Jesus points out a danger that you could also fall into: that of behaving as an upright person, living a

life based on the search for your own perfection, and judging others whom you

think are not as good

As a matter of fact, if you are "attached" to perfection, if you are building yourself up without God, and filled with your own

self, you are puffed up with self-admiration.

As a matter of fact, if you are "attached" to perfection, if you are building yourself up without God, and filled with your own

self, you are puffed up with self-admiration.

You act like the son who remained at home, who counts his merits before his

father: "...these many years I have served you, and I have never disobeyed

your command"

You act like the son who remained at home, who counts his merits before his

father: "...these many years I have served you, and I have never disobeyed

your command"

"It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead,

and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:32)

With these Jesus goes against the Jewish attitude that man’s relationship with God

lay in fulfilling the Law in order to be pleasing to God. But even Jewish tradition is aware that it’s not enough to observe

the commandments.

With these Jesus goes against the Jewish attitude that man’s relationship with God

lay in fulfilling the Law in order to be pleasing to God. But even Jewish tradition is aware that it’s not enough to observe

the commandments.

In this parable, Jesus reveals God as Love himself who takes the first step towards

man, without taking into account whether he deserves it or not, and

wants man to open up to Him in order to establish an authentic communion of

life.

In this parable, Jesus reveals God as Love himself who takes the first step towards

man, without taking into account whether he deserves it or not, and

wants man to open up to Him in order to establish an authentic communion of

life.

Naturally, as you may understand, the greatest obstacle to God who is Love is

precisely the kind of life led by the Pharisees, or those who accumulate actions and projects, because God is

asking instead for their heart.

Naturally, as you may understand, the greatest obstacle to God who is Love is

precisely the kind of life led by the Pharisees, or those who accumulate actions and projects, because God is

asking instead for their heart.

"It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead,

and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:32)

With these words, Jesus invites us to show the same boundless love that the

Father has towards the sinner. Jesus calls us not to judge, according to our own

measure, the love that the Father has for every man.

With these words, Jesus invites us to show the same boundless love that the

Father has towards the sinner. Jesus calls us not to judge, according to our own

measure, the love that the Father has for every man.

In inviting his elder son to share his joy over his long-lost son, the Father also

asks us for a change of mentality:

In inviting his elder son to share his joy over his long-lost son, the Father also

asks us for a change of mentality:

practically, we should welcome as brothers and sisters, those people

whom we nurture with only sentiments of scorn and superiority.

practically, we should welcome as brothers and sisters, those people

whom we nurture with only sentiments of scorn and superiority.

This will bring about a true conversion because it will purify us of our conviction

that we are "better", save us from religious intolerance, and help us

welcome the salvation obtained by Jesus for us as a pure gift of God's love.

This will bring about a true conversion because it will purify us of our conviction

that we are "better", save us from religious intolerance, and help us

welcome the salvation obtained by Jesus for us as a pure gift of God's love.

"It was fitting to

make merry and be glad, for this

your brother

was dead, and is

alive; he was lost,

and is found.”

(Luke 15:32)

"It was fitting to

make merry and be glad, for this

your brother

was dead, and is

alive; he was lost,

and is found.”

(Luke 15:32)

Text by : Chiara Lubich