“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”  St Paul sums up what Christ has done for us in these words to the people of Corinth.  Jesus tells us the same wonderful truth through the parable of the ‘Prodigal Son’ we hear in today’s Gospel.  The Father does not stint his welcome – he restores him to where he was before by giving him the new clothes, the ring and a feast in his honour.  When we turn to him in the sacrament of reconciliation the same thing happens.  The slate is wiped clean.  We are recreated in innocence of soul – the state of grace restored.  Christ has paid our debt on the cross.  True – we may still have debts of justice to fulfil to others and carry the scars of our wounds but our place in God’s house is restored.  St Paul appeals to us too: “Be reconciled to God.  For our sake him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”