4th Sunday of Lent
My dear parishioners,
God is Good!!! All the time!!! And all the time!!! God is Good!!!
After 40 years of wandering, the people of Israel have at last crossed the Jordan River into the promised land. During the course of this long journey, the generation of Israel that left Egypt died for lack of trust in God. Now it is time for their descendants to enjoy God’s promises because they show signs of being people of faith. This is evident in their acceptance of circumcision, a sign of the covenant God imposed on the patriarch Abraham and his descendants (Jos 5:1–8).
Today’s Gospel, unique to Luke, is situated within the context of chapter 15 about forgiveness, one of Luke’s. favorite themes. He is convinced that anyone who is willing to repent and return to God can be assured of God’s forgiveness. However, a careful reading of this story about a man who had two sons reveals that Jesus’ teaching is even more radical than Luke’s.
The father. The father is the main character in the story, not the two sons. On the surface it looks like the father makes many mistakes in relating to his two sons. One lives a life of debauchery while the other is perpetually angry. A closer reading of the story reveals that the father is not an irresponsible parent but is consumed with love for his sons. This kind of love does not always manifest itself in a life conducted according to acceptable rules and expectations.
The younger son. This son is often referred to as “the prodigal son” even though the word prodigal occurs nowhere in the New Testament. He lives a life of dissipation and squanders his entire inheritance, shaming both himself and his family name. He deserved to be shunned as a renegade. Key for this son is the fact that he came to his senses. This is often interpreted as repentance, but it is not. It is insight, but that is not the same as repentance. Once he decides to return home, hoping for the status of a hired hand, his life changes dramatically. His father treats him like a king and will not hear of any repentance—or even apology. The younger son is as shocked as everyone else by his father’s response.
The elder son. He seems shocked that the younger son came home. Angry with his father for accepting the younger son back unconditionally, he refuses to go into the party even after his father pleads with him to do so. Perhaps he is angry because he is trying to earn what he has had all along: his father’s approval and love. He has locked out his father’s love, thereby becoming his own worst enemy. Divine love is unpredictable and allpervasive. In this story no repentance is required to get back into the father’s graces. All that is required is the willingness to be found.
Excerpts from “Sunday Homily Helps”, is used by permission of Franciscan Media. www.FranciscanMedia.org. All rights reserved
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Aloysius