WHAT I CARE AND

DON’T CARE ABOUT

“This brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” – Luke 15:32

Visual artist Jetro Rafael was depressed, on medication, and clinically diagnosed as bipolar. His self-image was crushed as he felt judged by others. One day, he decided that being bipolar made him unique. He chose to embrace his entire being. He now runs a restaurant and mood-healing sanctuary called Van Gogh is Bipolar. From Jetro’s experience of healing, he shares, “The one thing that can heal people is unconditional love.”

For instance, a young man at the restaurant shared this story. Let’s call him Jonas, once a homeless boy, a drug addict, and a street urchin. Wanting to make a change, he knocked on doors looking for work in exchange for food. Jonas received rejection after rejection. But when Jonas knocked on the doors of Van Gogh is Bipolar, he was met with love. Jonas was brought to tears when he heard these words in Tagalog: “I don’t care where you’ve been or what you’ve been through. What I care about is you and what more you could become.”

The young boy Jonas was taken in for odd jobs. Now a young man, Jonas is an assistant chef for the restaurant. Edwin S. Soriano (edwin@winningcoaching.net)

Reflect: What aspect of yourself will you embrace for your own healing? What aspect of others will you embrace for their healing?

Lord, may Your unconditional love flow through me to heal me and others.

St. Turibius of Mongrovejo, bishop, pray for us.

Micah has experienced God’s deep love for him and encourages the people to entrust themselves to His love as well. This is the dynamic of the Gospel. Having experienced God’s love and mercy, we desire to share this experience with others. Evangelization is an experience of God more than an intellectual exercise. Let us live in God’s love so others can experience the same love through us.

Micah 7:14-15, 18-20

14 Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, that dwells apart in a woodland, in the midst of Carmel. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old; 15 as in the days when you came from the land of Egypt, show us wonderful signs. 18 Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, 19 and will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins; 20 you will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.

PSALM

Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12

R: The Lord is kind and merciful.

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. (R) 3 He pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills. 4 He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion. (R) 9 He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever. 10 Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor does he requite us according to our crimes. (R) 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us. (R)

GOSPEL

Jesus reveals the depth of God’s love and brings back those who have strayed from Him. Be on the lookout for the lost and those who are far from God. Let us spend time with them and witness to them His loving mercy.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I will get up and go to my father and shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.”

 

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

1 Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, 2 but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So to them Jesus addressed this parable. 11 “A man had two sons, 12 and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. 13 After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. 14 When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. 15 So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. 16 And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. 17 Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. 18 I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ 20 So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ 22 But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. 25 Now the older son had been out in the field, and on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. 27 The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. 30 But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ 31 He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. 32 But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’”

think: Is there an atheist or sinner that God wants you to bring to Him? How will you do this?

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T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST 

 

Read the Bible in one year - Genesis 28-30 

 

LISTENING AND COMPLAINING

Today’s Gospel passage is a study in contrast. The sinners were drawing near and listening to the Lord. The Pharisees and scribes were also drawing near but for a totally different motivation—to complain. “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” There is none so blind as he who would not see. Sinners saw an opportunity to reconnect with the mainstream; the honorable saw a chance to remonstrate with one who gave outcasts the hope they needed and longed for.

The parable of the two sons could also be seen from the viewpoint of contrasts. It is unfortunate that tradition has made it to appear like it was a story about the prodigal (sinful) younger son. But I am sure most of us would rather speak about the parable as that of the “prodigal” father who did not hesitate to pull all the stops to produce music of majestic grand proportions, as befits the great story of forgiveness, compassion, and generosity on the one hand, and resentment, jealousy, and remonstrations, on the other.

The younger (turned profligate) son lost his moral bearings and veered away from the path laid out by his doting father. The older (turned resentful) son never lost his bearings but found the rest of the way arduous and unbearable. The sinner-brother drew near once more and sought forgiveness and rehabilitation. The observant older brother kept near but “complained” like the Pharisees and scribes did. The distance caused by sin was more than made up for by love and forgiveness. The nearness of the older brother to his father was replaced by a growing emotional gap as he “became angry” and “refused to enter the house.”

Some tough but valuable lesson to learn here. Sinners drew near and listened, and then found rehabilitation. Those expected to do better remained physically near, but were emotionally distant—and complained!

I, too, complained so much in life—for being given a raw deal, for not being gifted enough with goods both material and otherwise. I have sinned— and all I need to do apart from drawing near to Him is to listen, not complain! Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

------- REFLECTION QUESTION --------

Who do you identify with in the parable—the younger son or the elder one?

Dear God, help me to listen to Your will for me and not complain. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _______________________________