4th Sunday of Lent
This weekend we celebrate the fourth Sunday of Lent In the First Reading Israel enters the promised land they celebrate the Passover in their new home which gives them food from its soil and rest from their wandering. The Israelites celebrated Passover at Gilgal and ate the produce of Canaan. The manna ceased, and they no longer had manna as they ate the land’s produce. In the Second Reading Paul tells the Corinthian church that anyone who lives in Christ is a new creation. They are ambassadors for Christ whom God uses to call others to reconciliation. God reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the message of reconciliation.
We are called to be reconciled to God through Christ. In the Gospel we hear the story of the Prodigal Son, the contrast between the two brothers is quite sharp. After wasting his share of his father’s fortune the younger brother recognizes the mistakes he has made and returns home looking for the mercy of his father when he says: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son” (Lk 15: 18-19, 21). The older brother takes a different sort of attitude one of arrogance not only towards his brother but also towards his father! His scolding is in great contrast with the tenderness of the father who comes out of the house and goes to meet him to ask him to go into the house (Lk 15: 20, 28) The big question that we should ask ourselves when we hear this story is what does God do when we turn away from him like the younger son in the Gospel? He does exactly the same as the Father in the gospel story did he waits and when we return he goes out to meet the returning Son or Daughter with endless love as the psalms put it great is his love, love without end.
The gospel story of the Prodigal Son is an image of God the Father who invites us to experience his love and return when we go far away from him as he gives us a second chance, Of course being given a second chance is not always fair or just and we see this from the reaction of the older son who complains in a big way about his Father not giving him something to celebrate with his friends. When we look at ourselves we can probably see parts of each of the three characters in us. There is the part of the father who has a keen eye for those who are lost and a good nose for when a party is needed. There is the part of the younger son who which wants to grab everything we can and try everything we shouldn’t. And there is the part of the elder brother which makes other people pay for our loveless fidelity. All three characters are within us, competing to shape the lives we lead when it should be our father in heaven shaping our lives. This gospel Is all about second chances we remember that second chances are invitations to move forward with hope In our hearts as we leave our old selves behind.
May we not be afraid as pilgrims of hope to come back for we will be received like the Prodigal Son with open arms. like the Father in the Gospel story god will come out to meet us for his compassion and love is without measure.
Fullerton T 