Fr Thomas’ Homily for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The House of God is Waiting for You

Is getting a speeding ticket a sin?  The answer is no.  Similarly, after accidentally breaking a glassware not saying ‘sorry’ to your host is a bad manner; but not a sin.  Then what is sin? Today’s Gospel, (Luke 15:1-32) teaches about what constitutes ‘sin’ and what is God’s response to the sinner.

In the story of the two sons, the younger son who squandered his patrimony and distanced himself from his father’s love realised later that he has sinned.  Allegorically, the father is God.  The more the son distanced himself from the love the father, his sin  also got worse.  But the moment he became remorseful of his breakaway from his loving father, transformation started in him.  He went back to his father to confess his sin.  The father gladly reinstated the remorseful sun to his original dignity.  He was lost and is now found.  Even the heaven rejoices over this finding.

Unlike his brother, the older son had servile attitude to his father.  He was dutiful to him.  He was like the good Christians who observe all the rituals of the religion in a manner of servitude.  Jesus shows that such servitude is also rejected by the father!  Why?  Because the elder son, in spite of his servitude, did not have a personal relationship with his father.  According to the story, returning from the field, he did not go into the house to find out about the celebration.  Instead, he asked one of the servants.  He was more at home with the servants than with his father.  Now the question is, “Do you enjoy being part of the House of God?”  Without a personal relationship with Jesus, our Lord, you too will be a lost one.  You will not be any different to the Pharisees and the Scribes who observed all the Laws but failed in entering the Kingdom of God.  Our God is merciful and he is waiting for your conversion.  So it is not just the prodigal son who had sinned; the self-righteous elder son also had sinned.  Therefore, do not be self-righteous and distance yourself from the love of God.  The House of God wants to include you and is waiting for you.