24th Sunday Year C - Homily 4

Homily 4 - 2016

In the Eastern Mediterranean world in which Jesus lived, meals were socially and religiously important. They were an expression of solidarity and of approval. In this world, Jesus, who took on himself the role of prophet or holy man, persistently invited as guests and accepted invitations from people whom society clearly branded as either sinful groups or individual sinners. Other professed religious leaders, Pharisees and scribes, were deeply upset by his behavior – and challenged him.

His response was to tell three stories, each with a similar conclusion. The second story finished up, There is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner. The first story had expanded that line a little, There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance. And the third story, the well-loved story, usually referred to as The Prodigal Son, concluded with, It was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.  All three stories speak, in one way or another, of a God of extravagant mercy, who obviously enjoys being so.

Would the scribes and Pharisees have related to such a God? I wonder if religious people in general feel relaxed and at home with such a God, a God whose mercy and forgiveness have nothing to do with prior repentance. There was no prior repentance or its equivalent in the lost sheep or the lost coin, and the repentance shown at first by the Prodigal Son was purely gross self-interest. Many people are more interested in revenge, or in punishment – stricter laws and tighter order. And as for God rejoicing! I think some people want God to show a bit more majesty and decorum, and for everyone else to worship accordingly.

Yet repentance is important. Why? Certainly not to soften up God. Repentance, though, is crucially important for the sinner. Without repentance, sinners cannot enjoy God – or enjoy anything else much, for that matter. Sin is essentially self-interest. It is focus on self. It is ultimately an expression of self-isolation, where other people are not persons but objects to be used or somehow exploited. Sinners certainly can sin together – but their sinning effectively distances them from each other. The younger son found that out the hard way. The elder son of the story was obviously a lonely man, consumed by himself, angry with his father and resentful towards him; and unable even to call his brother such but only the other son of his father.

Repentance involves a whole new way of seeing. The gaze turns outward – towards others. In the process, others are seen and related to as persons; and the former sinners themselves become and develop as persons, as human persons. God can be seen at last as the one who loves, who loves them, but not only them but everyone and everything equally – with a love that asks no questions, stipulates no conditions, is impervious to worthiness or guilt. Over time, God is seen as pure love – who offers relationship but has nothing to do with rewarding or punishing. God is reward, and separation from God is punishment; or, in other words, loving and being loved is itself its own reward – and from it follows joy, joy that is contagious. Repentance opens out inevitably to joy. In fact, through our coming to share in the life of the risen Jesus, we are introduced into the throbbing love and joy that is the life of the Trinity. Not loving [that is, self-absorption or isolation] is its own punishment – and the choice is up to us. God, in whom is no coercion and no violence, respects our choice.

We do not have to wait until we die. We can allow the truth slowly to soften our previously impervious hearts. With the angels of heaven we can rejoice over one repentant sinner – that repentant sinner, in this case, being ourselves.