A reading from the book of Joshua (5:9-12)
Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I have taken the shame of Egypt away from you.’ The Israelites pitched their camp at Gilgal and kept the Passover there on the fourteenth day of the month, at evening, in the plain of Jericho. On the very next day after the Passover, they ate the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted ears of corn. The manna stopped the day after they had eaten the produce of the land. From that year onwards the Israelites no longer had manna, but ate the produce of Canaan.
After the forty years of wandering in the desert the Israelites, led by Joshua, have crossed the Jordan river and entered the promised land (Joshua 3). At Gilgal Joshua circumcised those males who had not undergone this ritual during the desert years. Thus ‘the shame of Egypt’ is removed. Living from the produce of the land is another significant stage in the story of Israel. The time of wandering is finished, and there is no longer the need to gather manna in the desert. The Israelites are described as celebrating both Passover, the feast of a liberated people, and eating unleavened bread from the land they have entered. These two actions will become annual observances for them.
Psalm 34 (33) This psalm celebrates ‘tasting’ and ‘seeing’, further metaphors for God’s expected gifts.
A reading from the second letter of St Paul to the Corinthians (5:17-21)
Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old things have passed away; see, they have become new. Everything is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, because God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning their sins to them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is appealing through us: on Christ’s behalf we beg you, be reconciled to God. He who knew no sin he made sin for our sake, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Being ‘in Christ’ brings a ‘new creation’. God has ‘reconciled’ (katalassein) us. ‘Reconcile’ or ‘reconciliation’ appear five times in this short passage. This reconciliation with God brings forgiveness of sin and the entrusting of a mission of reconciliation. Christians are delegated to let others know of this reconciliation, which each person embraces through faith. Christ, who knew no sin, was ‘made sin’ by God, lowering himself to reveal the love God has for us. We thereby become ‘the righteousness of God’ in him.
A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke (15,1-3, 11-32)
The tax collectors and sinners, however, were all crowding round to listen to him, and the Pharisees and scribes complained saying, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he told them this parable.
‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, “Father, let me have the share of the estate that will come to me.” So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money in loose living.
‘When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to be in need; so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who sent him into the fields to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled himself with the pods which the pigs were eating, but no one would let him have them. Then he came to his senses and said, “How many of my father’s hired men have all the food they want and more, and here am I dying of hunger! >I will get up and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired men.” So he got up and went back to his father.
‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him. Then his son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf, and kill it; we will celebrate by having a feast, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” And they began to celebrate.
‘Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he heard music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. The servant told him, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has got him back safe and sound.” He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out and began to plead with him; but he retorted to his father, “Look! All these years I have slaved for you and never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me so much as a young goat for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property with prostitutes you kill the fattened calf.” Then the father said, “My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.” ’
The parable of the ‘prodigal son’ illustrates what reconciliation with God means. The father offers his troublesome son a warm embrace, a new robe, and a feast. This is a drama of death and life: he was dead but is now alive. It prepares for the paschal drama. Christ enters into death so that we in him can be raised to the fullness of life. We must remain hopeful that the elder brother, and many like him, will understand the dynamic of love offered to all those who need it. They need a new heart in which forgiveness of the sinner is central. It is for those who begrudge God’s mercy that the parables of Luke 15 were created.
How can we feel the merciful righteousness of God in our hearts?
Pray for those whose religious lives are blighted by rigidity and pride.