By occasion of the Pharisees murmuring at him for receiving penitent sinners, he showeth what joy shall be in heaven for the conversion of one sinner, (11) and for the younger son, which is the Gentiles: (25) the elder (to wit the Jews) in the meantime disdaining thereat, and refusing to come into his Church.
AND there approached Publicans and sinners unto him for to hear him. 2And the Pharisees and the Scribes murmured saying: That this man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. 3And he spoke to them this parable, saying: 4 * What [a] man of you having a hundred sheep; and if he hath lost one of them, doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the desert, and goeth after that which was lost until he find it? 5And when he hath found it, layeth it upon his shoulders rejoicing; 6and coming home calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost? 7I say to you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance, • than upon ninety-nine just that need not penance. 8Or what [b] woman having ten groats; if she lose one groat, doth she not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently, until she find? 9And when she hath found, calleth together her friends and neighbours, saying, Rejoice with me, because I have found the groat which I had lost? 10So I say to you, there shall be joy • before the Angels of God upon one sinner that doth penance.
11And he said: A certain man had two sons; 12and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of substance that belongeth to me. And he divided unto them the substance. 13And not many days after the younger son gathering all his things together went from home into a far country; and there he wasted his substance, living riotously. 14And after he had spent all, there fell a sore famine in that country, and he began to be in need. 15And he went, and cleaved to one of the citizens of that country. And he sent him into his farm to feed swine. 16And he would fain have filled his belly of the husks that the swine did eat; and nobody gave unto him. 17And returning to himself he said, How many of my father’s hirelings have abundance of bread, and I here perish for famine? 18I will arise, and will go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before thee; 19I am not now worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hirelings. 20And rising up he came to his father. And [c] when he was yet far off, his father saw him, and was moved with mercy, and running to him fell upon his neck, and kissed him. 21And his son said to him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son. 22And the father to his servants, Quickly bring forth the first stole, and do it on him, and put a ring upon his hand, and shoes upon his feet; 23and bring • the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry; 24because this my son was dead, and is revived; was lost, and is found. And they began to make merry. 25But his elder son was in the field, and when he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing; 26and he called one of the servants, and asked what these things should be. 27And he said to him, Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe. 28But he had indignation, and would not go in. His father therefore going forth began to desire him. 29But he answering said to his father, Behold, so many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed thy commandment, and thou didst never give me a kid to make merry with my friends; 30but after that thy son, this that hath devoured his substance with whores, is come, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31But he said to him, Son, thou art always with me, and all my things are thine. 32But it behoved us to make merry and be glad because this thy brother was dead, and is revived, was lost, and is found.
Footnotes
ANNOTATIONS. CHAP. XV.
↑ 7. Than upon ninety-nine just.) Neither God, nor the Saints in Heaven, nor men in earth do for all that esteem more of penitent sinners, than they do of them that continue just and godly: though by the sudden motion and present affection of joy that man taketh and expresseth in such alteration and new fallen good, it be here signified that the conversion of every sinner is exceeding acceptable to God, and giveth his Saints new cause of joy and thanks-giving to God in another kind than for the continuance of the just.
↑ 10. Before the Angels.) The Angels and other celestial spirits in Heaven, do rejoice at every sinner’s conversion: they know then and have care of us, yea our hearts and inward repentance be open to them: how then can they not hear our prayers? And betwixt Angels and the blessed souls of Saints there is no difference in this case, the one being as highly exalted as the other and as near God, in whom and by whom only they see and know our affairs, as the other.
↑ 23. The fatted calf.) This feasting and festivity (saith St. Augustine lib. 2, qu. Evan. ch. 33. to 34.) are now celebrated throughout the whole world the Church being dilated and spread: for, that calf, in the body and blood of our Lord, is both offered to the Father, and also feedeth the whole house. And as the calf signifieth the Bl. Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, so the first stole may signify our innocence restored in Baptism: and the rest, other graces and gifts given us in the other Sacraments.
Margin Notes
- 1–10. The Ghospel upon the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost.
- 11–32. The Ghospel upon Saturday in the 2nd week of Lent. The prodigal son is a parable, both of the Gentiles’ conversion, and also every dissolute sinner penitently returning to God.
- annot. 7. Joy in Heaven for every penitent.
- annot. 10. The Angels and Saints know our hearts.
- annot. 23. The Bl. Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Altar.
Margin References
- 4. Mat. 18, 12.
- annot. 10. Mt. 22, 30.
