This man welcomes sinners and eats with them

Rm 14,7-12; Ps 26; Lk 15,1-10
7 NOVEMBER

The God of Abraham, the God of the prophets, the God who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, awaits with infinite patience that the sinner is converted. Not only does he wait, he sends his prophets without interruption to invite every man to conversion. Even though he knows that hearts are rebellious and obstinate, the God of Abraham always sends his prophets.

For with you great strength abides always; who can resist the might of your arm? Indeed, before you the whole universe is as a grain from a balance, or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth. But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook the sins of men that they may repent. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned. And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you? But you spare all things, because they are yours, O Lord and lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things! Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them, and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O Lord! (Wis 11,21-12,3). Son of man, stand up! I wish to speak with you. As he spoke to me, spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard the one who was speaking say to me: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their fathers have revolted against me to this very day. Hard of face and obstinate of heart are they to whom I am sending you. But you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God! And whether they heed or resist – for they are a rebellious house – they shall know that a prophet has been among them. But as for you, son of man, fear neither them nor their words when they contradict you and reject you, and when you sit on scorpions. Neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.  (But speak my words to them, whether they heed or resist, for they are rebellious.) As for you, son of man, obey me when I speak to you: be not rebellious like this house of rebellion, but open your mouth and eat what I shall give you. It was then I saw a hand stretched out to me, in which was a written scroll which he unrolled before me. It was covered with writing front and back, and written on it was: Lamentation and wailing and woe! (Ez 2,1-10).

To this most pure truth which other higher truth does Jesus add through the story of either the lost sheep or the lost coin? He adds the notion of property. As every man is of God, every man is also of every other man. As God wants the salvation of his man. So must man want the salvation of his man. The salvation of man, for man, is the salvation of his very self. Whoever does not love the salvation of every man does not love the God of Abraham, the God of the prophets, the God who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the salvation of men the Father gave his only Son. Every one of his children, in his Son, must let himself be given by the Father.

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them he addressed this parable. “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbours and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. “Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbours and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Every true worshiper of God must manifest God through his life. If every sinner is God’s and He wants his salvation, every man must be the true worshiper of God and he too must want his salvation. The true God gives his only Son for the redemption of humanity, every son of God by adoption must let himself be given by him for the redemption of his brothers. Whoever does not manifest God is not a true worshiper of God.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints arrange that every Christian manifests Christ in his life.