Shanborlang Mawrie csc –
Readings: Ex 32:7-11,13-14; 1Tim 1:12-17; Lk 15:1-32
What happens to us when our loved ones are lost in a crowd or in a busy street? We will try to find ways and means to look for them and bring them back to us. The readings of today speak about the unconditional love and mercy of God that can break all barriers to get back to our original relationship with God. In the book of Exodus, we read that the Israelites violated the first and the most fundamental commandment, the one that binds them to the Lord in a relationship of exclusive loyalty to God, “You shall have no other gods before Me” by making and worshiping idols.
Moses pleads with God to save the people from His anger and punishment. In the parables of lost sheep, and lost coin we are told about God’s love and mercy. If anything, which is dear to us is lost, we will spend sleepless nights of sadness and anxiety until we find them. In life there is joy in getting back the thing or persons whom we love, and that joy is much greater than the sorrow that we feel when we lose anything or any person. The Lord tells us today that he loves us so much that if we are lost, he will come in search of us. He does not rejoice in the loss of anyone, but he desires that all be saved and restored to fellowship with him.
There are so many of us who are lost in our sinful and stubborn ways like the Pharisees and the scribes, but most of the times we are unaware that we are lost. Let us look at the character of God, who is full of love and mercy. And look at the attitude of Moses how he pleaded with God to have mercy on the people of Israel. So, in our life too let us do the same, let us forgive others as God has forgiven us, let us accept others as God accepted us. Let us look at the goodness of others not the weaknesses of others.
As human beings, it is not an easy task because we have our own weaknesses. But when we love, everything is possible because love is forgiving, love is patient, love is kind, the true love is above all because God is love.