4th Sunday of Lent(Cycle C, Year I)
Community Word:God’s unconditional love brings salvation in Christ Jesus.
Theme:We respond to God’s unconditional love when we repent of our wrongdoing and be reconciled with Him and others.
Promise: “Whoever is in Christ is a new creation.”(2 Cor 5:17a)
Reflection:
The Parable of the Prodigal Son, the Gospel reading for this Sunday, points to the meaning of love, compassion, mercy and forgiveness.What we have in this story are three characters – two ungrateful sons, and an extravagant father. We tend to relate to either the prodigal son, or the self-righteous elder brother, and frequently forget the father who is actually the main character of the narrative. Let’s ask ourselves. Are we as extravagant with our children, as this father is, nurturing them physically, as well as spiritually in the words of life of Jesus?
The reading from Joshua 5:9 tells us: “Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.”Here, we have a parent who exemplifies three virtues – love, compassion (or mercy), and forgiveness, all of which are antidotes for pain and suffering, whether of mind, body, or spirit.
In the course of growing up, we frequently disobey, or hurt our parents.The younger son in the parable showed little regard for his father when he demanded his inheritance and left his father’s house, lured by the seductions of the material world and his need to satisfy his cravings.His eventual realizations of his wrongdoing came the hard way, bringing him to repentance, humility, and the decision to seek forgiveness and reconciliation with his father.
On the other hand, in his self-righteous indignation, the elder brother likewise failed to demonstrate love and affection for his father who however, showed his love for both his sons – by his actions for the younger son, and through his reassuring words to his elder son.This scenario also illustrates mercy and its opposite – unforgiveness – on the part of the elder brother who, while he himself had not been wronged, hardened his heart against both his brother and father in resentment and anger, isolating himself in his estrangement.
The story reminds us that God does not want any of His children to be separated from Him. It also gives us a vivid picture of God, and what He is like.He is kinder than we human beings can be, as demonstrated by His resentful elder son. Neither does He lose hope or give up on us. Rather, He rejoices in finding the lost.
In the second reading, St. Paul declares God’s reconciling love for all, “And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ…” (2 Cor 5: 18). Since God has made things new and different, we now have a renewed and improved relationship with Him which requires us to live our gift of faith. And this we can do by turning away from the sinfulness of our former lives, and living out God’s love.
It is our selfishness and self-centeredness that separates us from God. St. Paul tells us, “Whoever is in Christ, he is a new creation,”(2 Cor 15:17a). As Catholics, we are even more blessed because we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation to fall back on. And as we repent and confess our sins, we cause “all heaven to rejoice!” (Lk 15:7,10).
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for inviting us to always be reconciled with you. We are truly sorry for the times we squandered the gifts you have given us. Help us to be genuinely repentant, and to amend our ways in response to Your call for us to live a life of holiness. Thank you that you always rejoice when we come back to you.
Reflection Guide Questions:
1. Do I exercise the five “R’s” every time I sin? (recognition, remorse, resolve, reformation, restitution)
2. How can I be a better ambassador of reconciliation at home, at work and within the community?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
March 31, 2019 (Sun)-Jos 5:9-12/Ps 34:2-7/ 2Cor 5:17-21/Lk 15:1-3, 11-32
April 1, 2019 (Mon)- Is 65:17-21/Ps 30:2, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13/Jn 4:43-54
April 2, 2019 (Tue)- Ez 47:1-9/Ps 46:2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9/Jn 5:1-16
April 3, 2019 (Wed)- Is 49:8-15/Ps 145:8, 9, 13, 14, 17, 18/Jan 5:17-30
April 4, 2019 (Thu)- Ex 32:7-14/Ps 106:19, 20, 21, 22, 23/Jn 5:31-47
April 5,2019 (Fri)- Wis 2:1, 12-22/Ps 34:17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23/Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
April 6, 2019 (Sat)- Jer 11:18-20/Ps 7:2-3, 9-10, 11-12/Jn 7:-40-53
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
