UNFAILING
MERCY, PARDON AND GRACE
By telling this parable Jesus wants to
show that He is doing His Father's will in seeking out those who are lost and
bringing them back to God.
Jesus tells us the parable, which we've hopefully just
read, that of the prodigal son who takes his inheritance and wastes it and then
returns home seeking his father's forgiveness and that of his brother, who had
not caused his father any outward trouble. The Scribes and the Pharisees are
complaining about Jesus' kind of treatment of known sinners. By telling this
parable Jesus wants to show that He is doing His Father's will in seeking out
those who are lost and bringing them back to God. If they are truly seeking to
follow the way of God, the Scribes and the Pharisees, had they been truly
following the way of God, should be very happy and excited to see sinners being
led to repentance.
When we reflect upon this parable in today's Gospel of
Luke, where do you and I see ourselves? We probably do not completely match
either son, but are a little bit like both of them at one time or another. We
certainly should realize that we are not perfect, that we are guilty of some
sins throughout our own journey.
During this season of Lent we are called to look deeply
into our own lives, at the things that hurt others and ourselves. We also need
to evaluate our relationship with God, with our family members, as well as with
our friends, and even with those we call our enemies, which can be the biggest
challenge.
The Church calls us to repentance during this holy
season. Whichever son we may resemble at the moment, at all times let us
remember that our heavenly Father loves all His children and welcomes them with
open arms.
We pray for this in our responsorial psalm, "The
Lord is kind and merciful. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He
put our transgressions from us" (Ps 103:8a, 12.)