Forgiveness

Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas, S.J. officiated the anticipated mass yesterday that the Ateneo chapel at Rockwell. Yesterday's scripture was the Gospel according to Luke on the parable of the prodigal son.
Incidentally, "Fr. B", as we used to call him during our law school days, was my professor in constitutional law. He is Dean Emeritus of the Ateneo Law School.
Fr. Bernas in his homily took note that Jesus delivered the parable as he was among tax collectors. In those times, tax collectors were living symbols of sin and sinful acts, and Jesus never dissociated himself among tax collectors. As a matter of fact, one of his disciples was a tax collector.
Fr. Bernas said that in his case, he is always in the company of lawyers and would-be lawyers.
In his reflections of the parable of the prodigal son, Fr. Bernas said that the parable is about the un-fathomable depth of forgiveness of the Father towards his son.
It impels upon the people to also evoke a similar gesture of forgiveness on others.
Father Bernas however, said that those who usually seem to feel they do not have "bigtime sins", are the ones who do not see the real essence of forgiveness.