OUR GOD IS FULL OF LOVE AND COMPASSION

XXIV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Ex 32:7-11,13-14; Lk 15:1-32

The long journey of faith

As we read the Bible, we must be aware that the long journey of faith from Abraham to Jesus Christ becomes alive through its pages, and we may discover the great landmarks of that journey with its ups and downs. Everything that was written was written for us and speaks for us today; however, we must understand that it does not speak in the same manner, due to our own present situation and due specially to the time and place where the different texts where written. That's why we need to pay attention to the timeline of the events to which the texts refer. As we listen to God speaking to us in the Holy Scriptures, we need to see the different perspectives from which the texts were written. and we must remember that God revealed himself progressively along that journey of faith that started with Abraham, the journey that we joined in, walking on the footsteps of Jesus Christ.

God is a liberator

If we compare this Sunday's first reading with the gospel, we find quite a big difference in God's approach to people. The book of Exodus sings the glory of God who is the Liberator. He is a God who takes good care of his people, listening to their cry of anguish, being touched by their suffering and standing up to take action against their oppressors. He presented himself as "I am!" (Yahweh), meaning that he is always on the side of the poor, the suffering and the oppressed, and that he calls his people to freedom, life and salvation. 

A demanding God

However, this God is a very demanding God. Nothing can be compared with him; he is different, always different from whatever we may expect. He is holy, and he wants his people to be holy. He is a God who will not tolerate disobedience and infidelity. He is a jealous God, who reacts angrily to betrayal. When people made the image of a bull in bronze, claiming to be the image of Yahweh, he felt disgusted with their lack of understanding, the shallowness of their faith and their lack of commitment.

"I can see how headstrong these people are! Leave me, now, my wrath shall blaze out against them and devour them" (Ex 32:9-10)

And Moses had to intervene and plead for his people. Finally, "the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened." (Ex 32:14) However, in God's name, Moses inflicted heavy punishment on the ringleaders and their close followers.

God never rejects us

In the Gospel, with the parable of the father who had two sons, Jesus presents a quite different image of God. He is full of mercy and compassion, never getting tired of waiting for us to come back. We are always his beloved children. He can never forget us and he will never dump us. As Pope Francis said, God never gets tired of forgiving us; we are the ones who get tired of asking for forgiveness. All of us have a place in our Father’s house, and his door is always open. If we do not go in, then it is because we choose to remain outside. We are the ones who may reject him, since he never rejects us.