5 November 2020 Thursday of week 31 in Ordinary Time
Philippians 3:3-8
We are the real people of the circumcision, we who worship in accordance with the Spirit of God; we have our own glory from Christ Jesus without having to rely on a physical operation. If it came to relying on physical evidence, I should be fully qualified myself. Take any man who thinks he can rely on what is physical: I am even better qualified. I was born of the race of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrew parents, and I was circumcised when I was eight days old. As for the Law, I was a Pharisee; as for working for religion, I was a persecutor of the Church; as far as the Law can make you perfect, I was faultless. But because of Christ, I have come to consider all these advantages that I had as disadvantages. Not only that, but I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
Psalm 104(105) Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice. Gioisca il cuore di chi cerca il Signore.
Luke 15:1-10
The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said, ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So, he spoke this parable to them: ‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” he would say “I have found my sheep that was lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance. ‘Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” she would say “I have found the drachma I lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.’
+ Dal Vangelo secondo Luca
In quel tempo, si avvicinavano a Gesù tutti i pubblicani e i peccatori per ascoltarlo. I farisei e gli scribi mormoravano dicendo: «Costui accoglie i peccatori e mangia con loro». Ed egli disse loro questa parabola: «Chi di voi, se ha cento pecore e ne perde una, non lascia le novantanove nel deserto e va in cerca di quella perduta, finché non la trova? Quando l’ha trovata, pieno di gioia se la carica sulle spalle, va a casa, chiama gli amici e i vicini e dice loro: “Rallegratevi con me, perché ho trovato la mia pecora, quella che si era perduta”. Io vi dico: così vi sarà gioia nel cielo per un solo peccatore che si converte, più che per novantanove giusti i quali non hanno bisogno di conversione. Oppure, quale donna, se ha dieci monete e ne perde una, non accende la lampada e spazza la casa e cerca accuratamente finché non la trova? E dopo averla trovata, chiama le amiche e le vicine, e dice: “Rallegratevi con me, perché ho trovato la moneta che avevo perduto”. Così, io vi dico, vi è gioia davanti agli angeli di Dio per un solo peccatore che si converte».
Parola del Signore
Reflection:
The Pharisees and scribes complained that Jesus ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ In his two parables he presents the rejoicing over finding what is lost. What does it mean to be lost? Does it mean those who do not keep the rubrics like the Pharisees and Scribes do?
Paul says,
“As for the Law, I was a Pharisee; as far as the Law can make you perfect, I was faultless. But because of Christ, I have come to consider all these things as disadvantages.”
I got lost when I was in Fiji. The water pump at the river dam stopped working. So, I followed the water up the mountain into the thick jungle to fix it. Unfortunately, I followed the wrong water stream. Night came quickly and I couldn’t see where I was going. I was cold, wet and frightened. When I got back, I wasn’t welcomed with joy, but was scolded by a confrère.
I think someone who is lost is not helped by telling them what the law is. I think they are helped by a welcome smile, hospitality and understanding.
These things open the heart better than correction.
Riflessione (italiano):
I farisei e gli scribi si lamentavano che Gesù “accoglie i peccatori e mangia con loro”. Nelle sue due parabole presenta la gioia per aver ritrovato ciò che è perduto. Cosa significa essere perduti? Significa chi non conserva le rubriche come fanno i farisei e gli scribi?
Paolo dice:
“Per quanto riguarda la Legge, io ero un fariseo; per quanto la Legge possa rendere perfetti, ero impeccabile. Ma a causa di Cristo, sono arrivato a considerare tutte queste cose come svantaggi”.
Mi sono perso quando ero alle Fiji. La pompa dell’acqua della diga del fiume ha smesso di funzionare. Così ho seguito l’acqua su per la montagna nella fitta giungla per ripararla. Purtroppo ho seguito il corso d’acqua sbagliato. La notte è arrivata in fretta e non riuscivo a vedere dove stavo andando. Avevo freddo, ero bagnato e spaventato. Quando sono tornato, non sono stato accolto con gioia, ma sono stato rimproverato da un confratello.
Credo che chi si è perso non venga aiutato dicendogli qual è la legge. Penso che sia aiutato da un sorriso di benvenuto, dall’ospitalità e dalla comprensione.
Queste cose aprono il cuore meglio della correzione.