Sr Lini Sheeja MSC from Germany, reflects on the Gospel of Luke Chapter 15:11-37
A lady from England read my 4thbook, Prison Ministry: The Dreamers’ Mission and wrote to me a few questions: “Sr Lini, your book reiterates emphatically that God loves the sinners and is more pleased with the conversion of a sinner than with the righteous. So does that mean that you can happily go on sinning and then repent at the end of a wicked life and thus be dearer to God than someone who strives every day to think good thoughts and do good deeds? I know that it’s all in the Bible, but when I read something like that, it raised many questions about my faith.”
Dear readers of this article, as I woke-up on October 24th morning, this was the first message which I read on my WhatsApp. On the one hand the world placed this question to me, but on the other hand, God gave me in answer His living Word in Luke 15:31-32 in which the Father tells his elder son who came from the field and questioned him regarding the celebration for the return of his younger brother, “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” This Father celebrates the return of the son who became destitute and homeless, who lived a reckless life but wanted once again to see his loving Father and plead with him to forgive his reckless living. This feedback about my book and our works in prisons made me to pen down this article.
Is this man called Jesus still alive?
Jesus told the parable of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Lost Son shortly after a group of Pharisees and Scribes complained and criticised Jesus for fraternizing with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus showed his fraternity with sinners who were looked down by the so-called righteous ones of Jesus’ time. The Pharisees and Scribes could not accept Jesus eating with sinners. Is this man called Jesus still alive? Yes, my dear friends! Do you want to encounter Him? Go to all those are thirsty and hungry, and you will find him there. Go to all those who are sick, you will find Him there too. Go to prisons, you will find Him alive there, waiting for the repentance of one sinner.
No Good will go in Vain
We the Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, Religious Sisters and Laity who walk in the light of the Lord, who live in the presence of the Lord, should try throughout our life time to do every kind of good deeds. Dear friends, if we have done good all through our life time, if we have worked hard to build God’s Kingdom, if we have shared with the poor, we shall receive our reward. None of our good deeds will go in vain. Through each of our good deeds we remain always close to God. But, who are we to question God’s mercy towards the ones who are Caught? Why are we, the ones who are with God, jealous of those who want to be with God? God will reward us with what is best for Him. Let us never question God’s mercy and kindness. If we question God asking why, surely He will ask us, why not?
The Father pleads with his Elder Son
Today once again I read the Parable of the Prodigal Son and I noticed something interesting, “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!”(Luke 15:25-30). It struck me today as something interesting that the Father pleads with the older son who was always with Him. The Father has to plead with the son who was always in his presence. The father goes out and pleads with him. Similarly, sometimes God pleads with us also who are always with Him.
What are our complaints being in His Presence?
What are our complaints today? Go to the prisons and see the face of the incarnate Son in the incarcerated. You will never complain. The Father saw the face of his younger son who had squandered his property and returned home and he had no further questions. But the elder son, on the other hand, who did not see the face of his younger brother, had many questions. Do we also have many questions? As the elder son complained before seeing the face of his brother, we too complain because we have not yet seen the face of our brothers and sisters who are behind prison walls. We judge, because we have not yet heard their misery and agony.
Did the Father ever know this son who was lost would return one day?
The whole Gospel is about God who came down to redeem the lost, the God who ate with sinners, the God who healed the leapers, the God who fed the hungry and goes on doing same. The whole Gospel is about the salvation and sanctification that Jesus came to give us. Who needs salvation and sanctification? Are we not all in need of the mercy and grace of God? Whether you live recklessly or are living in the Father’s house, you need His mercy The Father in the parable of the Prodigal Son never pleaded with the younger son. He waited for his return? Did the Father ever know that this son who was lost would return one day? But, what caught my attention was that the Father pleads with the elder son who was so adamant. Is there anyone among us who is not in need of mercy, salvation and sanctification?
God Excludes No One
Prisoners have been looked down upon just because they are prisoners, just because they have committed some crime and have been caught. We look down upon them, but God waits within the prison walls for their return. As we are important to God, the lost daughters and sons are also important to Him. God excludes no one. No human being is unwanted for God. God’s ways are different because God is different from us. Let us allow God to be God and never question His goodness, kindness and generosity. Let the God of the vulnerable bless all of us!
Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, belongs to the Congregation of Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. She worked as the team member of Child-line, BOSCO Bangalore. She served as the Geriatric Medical Social Worker at St John’s Medical College Hospital, Bangalore. Her motto My God provides and so no child should go uneducated makes her to reach out many orphan and children in distress. She served as the National Secretary of Prison Ministry India. She also served as the Chief-Editor for Prison Voice, a national monthly magazine and is the author of five books. In her fourth book named, Prison Ministry: The Dreamers’ Mission she invites the dreamers to join hands together to do wonders for the broken ones. Contact: [email protected].
A few years ago I spent 10 days in jail, on trumped up charges. Having reached out to fellow inmates, including writing letters for them, I can say without hesitation that most undertrials are either innocent or victimized, and need our support.
Luke 15 is a beautiful expression of God’s love. We also need to understand the “progression ” in the three lost ones. The coin is pushed into something, a victim of circumstances. The sheep does not intend to stray, but gets carried away by its own desires. The son makes a deliberate act, that requires repentance, a turning back. Jesus understood human nature very well. His carpenter’s shop was his study chamber.
St Augustine had also said “Help me know thee, help me know me “. Self understanding is the gateway to wisdom.