1. Thought for the day The liturgy
The very familiarity with the parable today may hinder our hearing it in a fresh way. Perhaps, in the liturgy, it could be presented in a dramatised version, done very simply with different voices to a part. Here's a version that could be adapted.
The shomily
As regards the message: in the broadest sense, the parable acknowledges the reality that good and faithful people can feel resentful when the wayward are received back without complication. After that, many avenues open up for reflection and preaching: compassion and forgiveness, alienation and lostness, "he came to himself", joy and celebration.
Notice that the parable ends open-ended — Luke is not interested in giving us a satisfying closure because the next stage of the story is not to be found in the pages of a book but in our lives.
In public life, we are familiar with accusation and blame but much less familiar (putting it gently) with absolution and forgiveness. At the heart of the Christian proclamation stands the conviction that we do not have to be burdened all our lives by past sins and errors. On the contrary, "for freedom, Christ has set us free." We are oddly uncomfortable with so necessary a gift.
Here's a fabulous version of Amazing Grace, played by Canadian Brass.
2. Sunday 15 September 2019 (24C19) Complete notes (PDF)
Gospel notes only (audio)
Gospel notes only (Portable)
3. Next Saturday: Peter McVerry cycle for the homeless
Each year, I do a charity cycle for the Peter McVerry Trust, a charity which takes care of homeless young people in Ireland. If you enjoy these notes and would like to contribute, then simply click on this link: charity cycle. Any donation, great or small, is welcome and much appreciated.
If you prefer not to make donations online, you may like to send a cheque (payable to the Peter McVerry Trust) to my home address:
St John's Priory,
94-96 Thomas St
Dublin D08 F8NW
IRELAND
For more details regarding the cycle, click here.
Thanks for all the support, wishing you every blessing,
Kieran Kieran O'Mahony, OSA Biblical Resources |
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