Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“In just the same way I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents” Luke (15:1-32).
The gospel and my essay theme are just as sweet and simple as the Gospel Hymn, “Do Not Pass Me By.” I am reminded of times in my life when I felt I was unworthy of God's grace and mercy. I deserved all judgment and ridicule because I took for granted and squandered all of the blessings that I had been given; be it monetary or spiritual riches. In spite of all my shortcomings and failures, God would do it again and again. He would bless and enlarge my territory. What kind of God would keep blessing me when I just keep throwing it out the window?
I was talking to my brother recently and he posed a question to me asking me, why do people go to church? I responded that the church is a place for sinners and a place for those seeking restoration, reconciliation, and salvation. The church is not the bricks and mortar rather the church is the Body of Christ in which we desire to have salvation and everlasting life in Jesus Christ.
Of course, my brother was looking for another answer as he was defining a specific entity in his quest for an answer however, I took the question as a reflection of my own self-awareness. I thought about all the times that I strayed away and took the inheritance of the Kingdom of God for granted, only to come back every time and ask my father for forgiveness and position myself as unworthy to be called His Son. And every time I return, which is very often, God reminds me of his perfect love for me each time by pointing to His perfect son, Jesus, who was sacrificed. Through the cross, I am restored again and again in His love.
It is so easy for us to remove ourselves and take advantage and squander all of our inheritances. We are human, we were created with the gift of free will and choice. However, our blessing is that because we belong to God, he is always there with open arms waiting for us, preparing the ultimate feast, and clothing us in his splendor and glory because although we may have passed him by as a sinner; as his child, he has not passed us by.
Author: Frederick Paul Landry, Sacred Heart Church, Port Arthur, Texas
Knights of Peter Claver, Inc
Sacred Heart Council #32 Port Arthur, Texas
State Deputy of Texas
What an awesome message from a awesome person. The more time we fail, the more time God through his son pick us up and carry us through. He never pass us by.