In today's first reading, Micah 7: 14-15, 18-20, Micah prays as follows, asking God to reveal Himself as our Shepherd: "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." Micah then asks: "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." In today's Gospel, Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32, Jesus reveals the nature of God in the parable of the Prodigal Son. He reveals a God who "removes guilt and pardons sin," "delights in clemency", is compassionate, loving, and caring, a God who waits for our return when we go astray, when we choose a path that leads to destruction, even death of the body and the spirit. With great delights, God receives us back into His Presence, rejoicing and celebrating our coming back to our senses and living a life of justice, love, peace, honest and right relationships with others, ourselves and our Creator God. No one is more excited when we choose rightly by turning away from evil to do good than God, our constant companion, our Guide, who lives within us, works through us, and hovers over us with Love!
May we come to this realization and work unceasingly to become our best selves, reaching our potential to live like Jesus lived! Our goal here on earth is to be totally transformed by grace so that our being made in the image and likeness of God is never in doubt!
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