No place like home. Return to the Father.
march 30, 2025 | 4th sunday of lent, Year C
Joshua 5:9a, 10-12; Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, (9a); 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
The Fourth Sunday of Lent, known as the Laetarae Sunday invites us to rejoice and to taste the bounty of the Lord. We rejoice because our fasting is almost over and we are approaching the glory of Easter. The parable of the prodigal Son of this Sunday is the reason for our rejoicing as it foreshadows the infinite love of the Father who welcomes us, forgives us our sins and restores us to the dignity of the children of God. By closely watching both the younger and the older son in today’s parable, we could be able to find our right position in the heavenly Father’s house.
We are sons of the Father in spite of our iniquities
The request of the younger son helps us expose the materialistic attitude, the breaking of ties that can and relationships that can occur in our families. If the culture of Jesus' time could allow a child to ask for his inheritance before his father dies, the latter should make the decision to divorce his father and not return to the family. This seems to apply to our society today in a different way. Many young people are abandoning their parent’s house just because they wish to live a different type of life. Parents are being used just as a chauffeur or as a source of money etc. So like this younger son, we harm the ones who love and care for us, our faithful Father, who always celebrate our return if we repent. What a wonderful habit, to go to confession frequently!
The Father saw him and embraced him and kissed him. He gave him the best robe and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. Then, he killed a fatted calf to celebrate his return and the reconciliation of the family. Paul urges us to be reconciled with one another (2 Cor. 5:17-21)
Are strangers in our Father’s house?
Unlike the Father who chose to forgive his younger son, the older brother not only refuses to forgive and to show mercy to his brother but also he is not ready to celebrate his return and enjoy the family retrouvaille. He is angry and has never considered himself as a son but as a servant. God on the contrary, would like us to feel at home with him and to behave as heirs of his inheritance. To the older son, the Lord says: “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.”
The true joy of a child of God is not about how much we serve him daily, but how deep we are in relationship with him daily. Our awareness as heirs of his household determine our commitment to love and to take care of his vineyard. Which of the characters are you like? Are you the younger son who sinned and needs mercy? Are you the father who offers mercy and complete reconciliation? Are you the older son who refuses to forgive and to rejoice?
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC
Living the Gospel this Week.
Be reconciled with God
Paul in this Sunday’s second reading, tells us that through Christ, God reconciled the world to Himself. We are called to be reconciled with God and others.
In his apostolic exhortation “Reconciliation and Penance”, St. John Paul II writes:
“To speak of reconciliation and penance is for the men and women of our time an invitation to rediscover, translated into their own way of speaking, the very words with which our savior and teacher Jesus Christ began his preaching: "Repent, and believe in the Gospel," (1) that is to say, accept the good news of love, of adoption as children of God and hence of brotherhood.”
Who do I need to reconcile with in my family? At Church? Within my community? Will I try to make the first step this week and finalize the process before the Holy week?
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC