We had to celebrate… This brother of yours was dead, and has come back to life

Book of Micah 7:14-15.18-20. 
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; 
As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt, show us wonderful signs. 
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, And will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins; You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, As you have sworn to our fathers from days of old. 



Psalms 103(102):1-2.3-4.9-10.11-12. 
Bless the LORD, O my soul; 
and all my being, bless his holy name. 
Bless the LORD, O my soul, 
and forget not all his benefits. 

He pardons all your iniquities, 
he heals all your ills. 
He redeems your life from destruction, 
he crowns you with kindness and compassion. 

He will not always chide, 
nor does he keep his wrath forever. 
Not according to our sins does he deal with us, 
nor does he requite us according to our crimes. 

For as the heavens are high above the earth, 
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. 
As far as the east is from the west, 
so far has he put our transgressions from us. 




Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 15:1-3.11-32. 
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, 
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." 
So to them he addressed this parable. 
Then he said, "A man had two sons, 
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. 
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. 
When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. 
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. 
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. 
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. 
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 
I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."' 
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. 
His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.' 
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. 
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, 
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' Then the celebration began. 
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. 
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. 
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.' 
He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. 
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. 
But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.' 
He said to him, 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. 
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.'"

“We had to celebrate… This brother of yours was dead, and has come back to life.”

       The older son said to his father in anger: “I constantly obeyed your orders, without disobeying a single one… and the prodigal one comes back to you, and you make more of him than of me!”

      The father had only just heard his son speak in this way, when he gently answered: “Listen to your father. You are with me, for you never distanced yourself from me; you did not separate yourself from the Church; you are always present at my side together with all my angels. But this one has come covered with shame, naked and with no beauty, crying: “Have mercy on me! I have sinned, Father, and as one who is guilty, I implore you. Accept me as a day laborer and feed me, for you love human beings, Lord and master of the ages.”

      “Your brother cried out: ‘Save me, holy Father!’… How could I not have mercy, not save my son who was moaning and sobbing? … Judge me, you who blame me… At all times, it is my joy to love human beings… They are my creatures: how could I not have mercy on them? How could I not have compassion when they repent? My entrails have brought forth this child on whom I had mercy, I who am the Lord and master of the ages.

      “Everything I have is yours, my son… The fortune you have has not been diminished by this, for I don’t take away from it when I give your brother gifts… I am the one and only creator of both of you, the one and only father who is good, loving and merciful. I honor you, my son, for you have always loved and served me. And on him I have compassion, for he is surrendering entirely to his repentance. So you should share the joy of all whom I have invited, I, the Lord and master of the ages.

      “Thus, my son, rejoice with all who have been invited to the banquet, and mingle your songs with those of all the angels, for your brother was lost and now he has been found again, he was dead and contrary to all expectations, he has risen.” The older son let himself be persuaded by these words, and he sang: “Everyone, cry out with joy! ‘Happy is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered.’ (Ps 32:1) I praise you, o friend of humankind, you who also saved my brother, you, the Lord and master of the ages.”