Dear Parishioners,
The gospel this week is probably one of the most well known parables of Jesus, the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:1 3, 11-32). I’m sure at various times in our life each of us could relate to one of the characters of the story. Which one do we find ourselves relating to this Lent? How is the Father’s love calling you to a deeper relationship as His child through repentance?
The younger son is someone who finds relationships suffocating: he wants to love, but without commitment, without constraints. Love is hard work, and it requires commitment and sacrifice. The Father shows him that there is such a thing as a relationship of freedom.
The older son loves as if it were a rivalry; since he is always in competition with others, he is always measuring love. That is why he is angry, unable to enjoy the feast in honor of his brother. Somehow, he always feels that celebrating the other person’s life takes away from what he could have received. People who live like this are angry people, and anger is blinding. Anger only sees what it doesn’t have.
When we focus on the father, we recognize that he was not concerned with how he was offended. He was concerned only about his son who was lost; lost from the father’s world. We focus on the father’s joy at seeing his son approaching and seeking forgiveness. Luke describes how the father’s love for his child is expressed in profound actions. Actions that reflect his genuine mercy and forgiveness.
May we discover that God is always waiting and looking for us to receive His redemption. My prayer is that this Lent we will run to the waiting arms of the Father.
God Bless,
Deacon Howard
P.S. Please join us this week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings (March 28–30) at 7pm in the church for our Parish Lenten Mission with Fr. Christopher Whatley.
