Paulo Coelho
In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the brother who always obeys his father is furious at seeing the rebel son received with celebrations and joy. In the same way, many people who are obedient to the Lord’s word, end up becoming the merciless hangmen of all those who one day strayed from the Law.
In a small village in the interior, a well-known sinner was barred from entering the church.
He was angry and prayed:
“Jesus, hear me. They will not let me into your house, for they think I am not worthy.”
“Do not worry, my son,” answered Jesus. “I too am on the outside, together with those I have always stood alongside – sinners like yourself.”
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Thank you for your commentary Savita(and all), I Hope that some day you reach your dreams, and cross the world as the crook wind of the memories.
For my part, my heart belongs to the sinners and to the face of the adventure like the Gypsies.
Probably we will meet in some side of the World during the mystic travel.
What is sin anyway? Sin is not an entity, it is a concept, invented by the Church. I know a lady who is raised in a native american community where the concept of sin does not exist. Realizing this was an eyeopener for me: that sin does not actually exist, we invented it.
Harming other people: murder, rape, restricting someone’s freedom, etc are actions we should not do as we would not like them being done to ourselves. But the other ‘sins’ are actions that allow us to explore our shadow side. They go against the ‘rules of society’ because most people are afraid to explore and accept their own shadow side and repress it by labelling it ‘bad’ or ‘sinful’. Getting to know these parts of ourself is very enriching if we get not stuck in it: in rage, in jealousy, in extravagant sexual behaviour. If we can embrace this part, understand why it is there and transform it to Love, then we can grow. This is what i understand under God’s forgiveness. And if by exploring we did hurt someone: adultery, stealing, etc we must ask that person for forgiveness, meaning: “i hope you can understand why i did this and still love me”.
It is a very difficult topic and i am still trying to understand it fully; maybe in a couple of years i will have a different answer.
But a few years ago I changed my life and now I am following my heart again and see how love is coming back, and I am alive again. I am also an outcast again, it is sad people react that way but I am on my path again and it feels so right.
the life learned me to distinguish two notions: church and belief. im not shure that god is always in the church but if you believe in him you can be shure he is in your heart
love
In my youth I rebelled all the time, I was full of laughter and of love and life, it was when I stopped rebelling and did was was expected of me for many years that my life became empty and without love and life.
It’s God’s Amazing Grace that keeps on welcoming us no matter how many times we go astray. I’ve felt how it was to be on the outside. I too hesitated going into our little town’s church — what with the murmurs behind my back, the peircing stares of the regularchurch goers, I’ve been branded and I was made to feel I do not belong. As if its a sacrilege to enter the church. But I got over that…Instead of dwelling on the affront and languish in bitterness, I opted to think that waht really counts is what is in my heart. That God’s amazing grace would always welcome me back with forgiveness. That even if the church won’t be as welcoming, I can always choose to worship him through nature and in every minute of the day in everything I do. It just saddens me that up to now, I still see the people who claim to be God’s representatives on earth, turning other people away in discrimination, in their judgmental attitudes, in their unwillingness to understand and show kindness.
Dear nho,
Thanks for reminding me of the movie “Chocolat.” What a poignant example it evokes. I only recently saw this film, though it has been out for several years. I loved it! Watched it several times over, in fact, within a couple of days. I was fascinated, more than anything, by this idea of the Gypsies who live on the boats and drift up and down the river, in and out of one town after another, always merely passing through, remaining forever on the “outside” of whatever community they enter.
I Zingari, they’re called in Italy. In India, a somewhat similar role is assumed by the Pariahs (the outcasts, the untouchables). Every society has their own version, in one form or another. It’s a big subject, but how beautifully the film “Chocolat” deals with the concept of the exclusionary mentality and its numerous casualties, on both sides of the line – among those who consider themselves “insiders,” as well as those who know they’ve been branded as “outcasts.”
There is this poem that has long been dear to my heart as it so captures the way I feel in regards to the subject of the Zingari as well as the outcasts of every society:
ZINGARI by Paolo Buzzi
Forse e la vita vera.
Il carro dipinto,
i cavalli salvatici e docili, ebbri di vento,
le belle figlie in cenci,
la mensa a bivacco furtiva sotto gli astri,
la strada bianca del mondo.
Io tornero nella prigione potente
dove comando
e sono camandato:
io sfrenero, di rabbia, i miei puledri ideali
sulla pista del sogno, a cuore morto, a stanca sera:
e per l’amore
mendichero la mendicante mia a qualche buio di strada.
Io pago la carne con mano che sembra
chiedere anzi donare elimosina.
E la mia vita
e una rete di fogne
dove alto non luce che l’occhio del scorico.
O Zingari, scoiatemi vivo, allo spiedo arrostitemi
fra due tronchi di selva!
Sono un poverissimo figlio di civili
che adora la barbarie.
(I would try to translate the whole, but I could never do it justice.)
“I am a poor son of the civilized
who adores the barbarous (the uncivilized).”
Perhaps this is the sentiment within us all which, in childhood, manifests itself as the wild desire to “run off and join the circus.” No matter how well “trained” we are, no matter how well “tamed,” somewhere deep inside we sense that there is something very unjust and even brutal about the system of rules and norms by means of which society is ordered and ranked. It is, after all, just about the age that we begin to learn how to “behave properly” that we develop these sorts of dreams.
For me, it was never the circus. It was always Mongolia. I wanted to run away to Mongolia and live in a yurt – to be nomad, driven only by the changing of the seasons and the small still voice within.
Love,
Savita
The grass is always greener on the other side of the church…
Thank you! I love you.
I know now that you are there.
LOVE,
THELMA
Dear Nelson D’Silva,
To the question what is wrong with obedient son you yourself gave best answer, his attitude towards his Father !
If the Father is generous with sinners why should I object ?
That is how I see it.
Luce
Because the power of forgiving of God is infinite.Is suposed to be same for men,but sometimes we are frustrated.In a way ,might be undertood,after one is struggling to be good,seeing the one who had only fun received better,might be difficult to understand.But I agree is important to forgive,esspecialy a great sinner,if he repent.
A song by country singer Johnny Paycheck
called “The Outlaw’s Prayer”:
You know, I worked the Big Packet show in Fort Worth, Saturday night,
We had all day Sunday to rest and relax, before I caught another flight.
So I decided to walk down town an’ get myself a little fresh air.
Before long, I found myself in front of a big church on the corner of the square.
Boy, I could hear that singin’ way out in the street, sure was a beautiful sound.
So I just walked up the steps an’ opened the door an’ started to go inside an’ sit down.
But before I could, a young man walked over to me an said: “Excuse me, Sir,
“But I can’t let you in with that big black hat, those jeans, that beard an’ long hair.”
So I just left, went back outside, sat down on that kerbing, an I thought to myself:
That’s the house of the Lord. That guy’s got the hell of a nerve.
Tellin’ me I can’t worship anywhere I please.
So right there, in front of that Church, I just knelt down on my knees.
I said: “Lord, I know I don’t look like much, but I didn’t think you’d mind.
“I just wanted to be with your people, Lord: it’s been a long time.
“A while ago, a saw a wino over there in the alley, all bent over in tears,
“An’ I thought how one stained glass window, from this Church, would feed his family for years.”
“Then there’s those fine cars parked outside: too many for me to count.
“Made me think how people walked for days to hear your sermon on the mount.
“Then there’s those fine ladies in the choir, Lord, singin’ like they really love it.
“Hell, last night, they were dancin’ on the front row of my show: drinkin’ beer, screamin: ‘Sing Shove It.’
“You know, even John the Baptist wouldn’t be welcome in this place,
With his coat made of Camel hair an’ sandals on his feet an’ a long beard on his face.
“You know, Lord, when you come back to get your children, an’ take ‘em beyond the clouds,
“To live forever in Heaven with you: well, I’d sure hate to be in this crowd.
“You know, Lord, I’m not perfect; some even call me no count.
“But I’ll tell you: I believe a man is judged by what’s in his heart, not what’s in his bank account.
“So if this is what religion is: a big car, a suit an’ a tie,
“Then I might as well forget it Lord, ’cause I can’t qualify.
“Oh, by the way, Lord, right before they kicked me out, didn’t I see a picture of you?
“With sandals an’ a beard. Believe you had long hair too.”
“Well, this is Paycheck, signing off.
“I’ll be seein’ you Lord, I hope.”
Resembles the movie of “Chocolat”, is a small catholic enough and holy village that receives the visit of a few “sinners” strangers.
Incredible as the persons we can be martyrs for others, and still when we think to be goods persons, our acts are purely bad(wrong) and selfish.
From refusing house, don’t give food, or labels a person of sinful for the look of others…
It is not a culture of fear, is a culture of hatred that scrubs me in the face in the morning, when i see that we themselves limit the freedom of the others.
Even, this way I defend that is normal that the persons refusing and sinners, when in the exterior we meet “injustice”.
We, human beings, are the Prodigal Son! We have started our journey of incarnation, our Path, and we are struggling to find our way back towards the Light, our Father’s Hourse. He sent to us His beloved Son to raise us back from Death, the world of separateness, with His sacrifice, the Resurrecion. He is, as the Gospel says, with each one of us and within each one of us. LOVE is his paradigm and teachings.
LOVE,
THELMA
Sir, tell me something – what wrong did the obedient son do? What would you have felt if you were in his place? What wrong did the worker do – who worked from dawn to dusk and still got the same wages as the one who worked for one hour. What wrong did Martha do – who kept doing the household chores while Mary sat listening to Jesus.
While I rejoice for the soul of the prodigal son, I too am one; we should not be judgmental on the obedient/diligent ones. Everyone deserves to be saved, and its only a few who are that fortunate.
Yes, Jesus is on the outside and on the inside. I just read a piece on the early Church, where the apostles and Mary was living like a family and having everything in common, and how this still is an ideal we can choose to follow.
Today, probably more Catholics live on the outside, than being active attending services inside the Church. We meet Jesus in the poorest of the poor, but also in the Holy Presence in every Church in the world. Pope John Paul II warned against giving up the Mass, as it often ends up with a hostile attitude to the Church. Even if we are not allowed Holy Communion, we can still go to pray. I’m planning to do so before Christmas!
There is a Church which had several apparitions of Our Lady in recent years, and I made a friend promise me to take me there before Christmas. She said, ‘Oh, I don’t go anymore, but I’ll go with you’. So we will.