New York, St. Margaret, 16th September 2007
The first question God asked a human being in the Bible was: Where are you?
The Bible is a mirror, in which we can see what is invisible without it: we can see our own face.
Let us read once again today’s parable about two sons putting to ourselves the first divine question: “Where are you?”
Maybe you are in this part of the story when the younger son wants to leave his father. Perhaps he is bored to live at home. Perhaps he wants to experience something new. Maybe he wants to bee free from father’s commandments and father’s presence.
Are you in this part of the story?
Do you really want to leave God, faith and the church?
Maybe you are further. The son is just in a distant country. He spends money. He is very well. He finally feels what does mean to be free, to be a lord of own life. “Now I am the Great!. My stupid brother has to work with my father and I can do what I want. How life is beautiful!”
Are you in this part of the Gospel?
Do you really feel better without God?
Perhaps you are further. The son spent everything. He has no money, no home, no father, no brother. Even ha has no hope. Not yet. He is thinking: “I’ve lost my life! Nothing does make sense.”
Are you in this part of the Gospel?
Do you see yourselves broken, finished, without any perspective?
But maybe you are the older son. All life faithful to God, to church, to commandments: the exemplary father, the impeccable wife, the outstanding woman, the excellent worker, the brilliant parishioner. And now after many years you can not understand how God can be more pleased with the sinners than with you. Maybe you think in the deep of your heart: “With this logic it is better to use life, to be a sinner and at the end to come back to God.” You are a good son but, deep down, you envy people who are far from God.
Are you in this part of the parable?
Don’t you really understand that God wants to save all people?
Don’t you understand that a physician must take care of the sick people more than of the healthy one?
Man: Where are you?
Human being: Where are you?
The Gospel is a mirror in which I can see what is invisible without it – I can see my own face.
What I see?
Where am I?
Where are you?
Probably we know the answer, but wherever we are, we have to remember: God is waiting for us with open arms. For faithful who are angry and for sinners who are too far and too weak. God has open arms.
The cross shows it in the best way.
Can you see it?
God has opened his arms to all mankind in his Son and he never will change it. Because the infinite love has nailed arms to the cross once and for all – to be open to everybody now and forever.