Homily for the week of March 14, 2010

Fourth Sunday of Lent (C), March 14, 2010

Jos 5-9a,10-12

Psalm 34

2 Cor 5:17-21

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

In most families there is a prodigal son or prodigal daughter. One often hears of bitter disputes among brothers and sisters when it comes time to divide up the inheritance left by their parents. The story Jesus tells begins on a shocking note. The younger brother demands his share before the father is even dead! The older brother stands there without saying a word as the father gives each son his share. The elder brother’s objections come later, when his brother returns home and the former fears his own portion will be jeopardized. Both sons display a sense that their father owes them something. They have calculated what they have coming to them and they are making sure they collect all of it. This is not a poor family. They have cattle and means to put on a feast. The father has a fine robe, sandals and a ring to put on his son’s finger. At the time of Jesus these were all signs that this was a wealthy family.

When the father hands over his considerable wealth to his sons, one would think they would be happy. But both end up miserable. The younger one squanders everything, while the older one hoards it all, not spending even a little bit to entertain his friends. Both complain about what they have not been given. The younger son, after using up all he had inherited, lowers his sights and would be satisfied with the slop fed to the pigs. ” The older son complains bitterly to his father: “You never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.”

This accusation is puzzling, given that the son already has been given everything the father has. It is equally surprising that the father, instead of angrily dismissing his son’s baseless accusations, responds with a renewed invitation to joy and a reminder: “Everything I have is yours”—already! But something has died in both sons. Their greed and jealousy have blinded them to the overflowing abundance that is theirs.

The first son has come back to life. He has hit rock bottom. He believes he no longer deserves to be called son. He acknowledges the wrong he has done his father and the whole community. What has brought him back to life? It is not his own coming to his senses and his own efforts to return to the source of his heritage. Rather, it is the father’s unfailing love. For a long time his father has been looking for him. When he does see him off in the distance he flings open his arms, hugs him and forgives him. This action gives this young son love and joy and gratitude. He now feels certain that he is forgiven freely and totally. He did not earn and it can not be taken away.

The infinite mercy of God, the Father of saint and sinner, is brought out very clearly in the story of the younger son. Even though he abandoned his father, the father did not abandon him. The father's mercy was big enough and generous enough to forgive and forget. His love for his son was strong enough to smother any feelings of personal resentment. His son's return blotted out all his past faults and failures. It was surely an occasion for general rejoicing.

For the vast majority of us our message of consolation and hope is in the first part of today's parable. All of us have, many a time, been prodigal, ungrateful, selfish sons and daughters of our loving Father. But he is still a Father of infinite love, of boundless mercy. He is not only waiting for us to return, like the human father in the story. He is continually sending out messengers to recall us and to help us on the return journey. Like the younger son in the story we may have abused our freedom and broken his laws. We may now feel torn and tattered but, our loving, merciful Father is waiting for us with open arms to welcome us back the moment we come to ourselves and decide to return. Until we have drawn our last breath on earth, the mercy of God and his pardon, are there for our asking.

During this 4th week of Lent talk with God about what is dead in you that longs to come to life again. Ask Christ to help you let go of any resentment toward others with whom you share this inheritance. Have you ever forgiven someone who really hurt you? How did it feel to be acting so much like God? Consider the older brother. Have you ever felt that someone else in your family or among your friends "has it better" or easier than you do? Pray to God our Father to help not to compare ourselves to others.