Philippians 3:3-8 / Luke 15:1-10
There are two phrases that say a lot about human attitudes and human behaviour.
One is “look up” and the other is “look down”.
More than just a physical movement of the eyes, it says a lot of how we look at people and what we think of them.
The world looks up to those with credentials, with status, with wealth, with influence, as well as good looks and appearances.
In other words, the world looks up to those who are impressive by the world’s expectations.
But those who do not meet the world’s expectations will be looked down upon.
In the first reading, St. Paul recalls his life before his conversion.
He was better and even fully qualified as a Pharisee, he was perfect and faultless, and everyone looked up to him.
But after he came to know Jesus Christ as his Lord, whatever he thought was an advantage is now a disadvantage.
But because Jesus Christ looked for him, and found him, that was all that mattered to him.
In the gospel, the Pharisees and the scribes looked down on Jesus because He was in the company of sinners and eats with them.
The two parables that Jesus told were not about looking up to others or looking down on others.
Rather it pointed to God who looked for the lost, the least and the last.
May we always look at God and may God lead us to look for those who are searching for God.