This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them...

The title of this message might look strange, especially when one considers that this is a Christmas (khristu jayanti) message.

- Frather Michael John

The title of this message might look strange, especially when one considers that this is a Christmas (khristu jayanti) message. However, I would like to understand the meaning and implications of the above statement in the context of Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the saviour of the world.

Although, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them...," taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke, might look like a simple statement, it is in fact, an allegation, a serious accusation directed at Jesus by the Pharisees, that is those who prided themselves as being more pious and worthy of God, and by the Scribes, who considered themselves more learned and intelligent than others. Thus, Jesus, the poor Jewish carpenter from Nazareth, was accused of being a friend of or welcoming the untouchables, immoral and sinners.

Jesus answered his accusers with, not just one or two, but three parables: The Story of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15, 3-7), the Story of the Lost Coin (Luke 15,8-10) and the most famous Story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15,11-32). Jesus concludes the story of the Lost Sheep saying, "I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance"; Jesus ends the Parable of the Lost Coin with, "I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents"; and Jesus completes the Parable of the Prodigal Son saying, "We had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found".