24th Sunday in Ordinary Time - "Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep"

Most of us are pretty well conditioned to hear bad news. The media bombards us with it on the evening news, in the newspapers and even on the Internet. For some reason we can’t get away from it and for some, we can’t get enough of it.

Often, when someone has something good to tell us, we need to have it repeated. It is almost as if we can not believe what we are hearing.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus repeats his message of forgiveness three times with the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the prodigal son.

At first glance, these parables seem a bit ridiculous. Put yourself in place of the shepherd. Would you go crazy trying to find one lost sheep? I know I would be worried about what would happen to the other ninety nine.

How about the woman going crazy, turning the house upside down to find a lost coin? To us, this does not makes any sense.

A father welcoming back a son who squandered his inheritance. Many of us might say, pal, you made your bed, now lie in it.

Jesus teaches us much about forgiveness. It doesn't matter if the offense was intentional or consequential.

We must be willing to forgive even if it hurts.

God in the first reading relented punishment for Israel. It must have been hard for Him to accept the way the Israelites treated Him after all He had done for them.

The important message contained in today's readings is that God is always willing to welcome us back. If we do, there’s happiness in heaven. There is joy on the face of God. God never intended for us to be far from him. But by our human free will, by our weaknesses and our faults we tend to drift from him.

To understand Jesus, think about how we feel when one of our friends or loved ones turns away from us? How do we feel when they return? My dear brothers and sisters, God feels no different.

In the Second Reading, Paul shows us the way to a forgiving Jesus. Like Paul we must recognize our weaknesses. Contrary to the belief of the Pharisees and Scribes, Christ came into the world to save sinners. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the grace of Jesus, which is abundant, cleanses our souls.

Today, we celebrate Catechetical Sunday. It’s a time we recognize all those volunteers who help teach the faith to those who seek the truth about Christ and His church. Catechetical Sunday is also a wonderful opportunity to reflect upon the role that each person plays, by virtue of Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel as well as to rededicating himself or herself to this mission as a community of faith.

Today’s Gospel teaches us one way to witness for Christ – it requires us to accept the challenge of being a forgiving person. We must forgive those who have wronged us much the same way Christ forgives us.