Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 132

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.

Well, actually, he addressed three parables to them; each one ending with the teaching, But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because... what was lost and has been found.

In the 1950's, when it seemed every Catholic church had an elementary school well staffed with teaching sisters, the entire school attended Mass on the first Friday of the month. We were also marched through the confessional on the Thursday before "First Friday," whether we needed it or not. (We usually didn't.) 

And many adults lined up for confession every Saturday as they prepared to receive Communion on Sunday. The Christmas and Easter queues were notoriously long, but they moved quickly. Those practices largely disappeared in the 1960's and 70's, and few lament their passing. 

Not that anyone had stopped sinning. We simply took a moratorium with the Sacrament of Confession to reconsider what it means, how it should be practiced, and the Virtue of Penance. 

We do well to restart with Jesus's teaching, "We must celebrate and rejoice because what was lost has been found!" 

The Sacrament originates with our welcoming sinners back to the worshiping congregation. The reception should be as joyous as the party for the Prodigal Son. Only Pharisees would resent the sinner's return and our gladness. 

Secondarily, attending the Sacrament is a good practice. Every Christian should begin and end each day with an awareness of their sin and God's mercy. We honestly say, "O Lord, I am not worthy..." and we gratefully accept the worthiness the Lord gives to us each day.

The LORD’s acts of mercy are not exhausted,
his compassion is not spent;
They are renewed each morning,
great is your faithfulness! (Lamentations)

I see the Sacrament of Penance as a happy occasion when I go to my confessor and say, "I acted badly and I regret it very much. I can't say, 'I don't know what got into me," because I do. In fact what I did was absolutely typical of me." 

Hopefully, the patient priest will listen to my detailed story: what I did, when, where, to whom, and why. I will assure the priest I have come to my senses like the Prodigal; and I am so glad and grateful that he would take the time to give me this formal reassurance. 

As the gospel says, we have to celebrate! We have to share the wonderful works God has done for us. We cannot keep these things a secret. And who in their right might would want to? Let me tell you what God has done for me! 

As the Bishops urge us to return to Sunday Mass, let us also celebrate Penance.