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Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them Jesus addressed this parable.
“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’
So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
‘How many of my father’s hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”‘
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.’
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
But when your son returns
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.’”
The parable of the Prodigal Son speaks to a central truth of our Catholic faith: God cares far more about a relationship with us than any good decision we make or deed we do.
It is natural to sympathize with the elder son. At first glance, his lack of reward seems unjust. However, we can speculate that his loyal service was rooted in something less than his father: in appearance or performance, perhaps even duty. The elder son kept up the estate and tended the fields. Likewise, we go to Mass and pray the rosary. All these actions are good, and God acknowledges their goodness. Yet if actions are not rooted in a relationship with God, we miss the central point.
God is not a set of moral guidelines or a vague therapeutic outlet. God is not an idea. God is a person—a person who yearns for a relationship with every human being.
When the younger son returned home from a life of sin, his father was not idly waiting, surprised when he stumbled through the front door. The father was out in the field, desperately searching for his son at a distance, anticipating his return home. (Lk 15:20) In the same way, God searches for us.
Throughout church history, theologians have expressed the fundamental importance of the relationship with God. Augustine distinguished between imperfect contrition (remorse for immoral actions) and perfect contrition (remorse for rupturing the relationship with God). Aquinas said charity, the greatest virtue, is a certain kind of friendship of man with God. The opening line of the catechism states that the life of man is to know and love God.
In our joys and our brokenness, may we always run back to our Father’s waiting, outstretched arms and ensure this relationship is at the root of all we do and all we are.
Lord, in these 40 days of Lent, we pray, fast, and give alms, knowing that it is we who have taken ourselves away from you through our sins and our transgressions. By welcoming your forgiveness in our hearts these Lenten days, may we be brought by you to the joy of new life on Easter morning. Amen.
A PODCAST BY FAITH ND
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Fr. Joe Carey, CSC
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Fr. Lou DelFra, CSC
Fr. Lou DelFra, CSC, shares the moments that eventually led him to a vocation in religious life and priesthood, along with a specific ministry of forming aspiring Catholic teachers.
Avis Boyd
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Tim and Lindsay Will
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Dr. Andrew McShane
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Nan Tulchinsky
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Bishop Bob Lombardo, CFR
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Veronica Alonzo
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Dr. Jim O’Connell
Walk the streets of Boston with Dr. Jim O’Connell as he describes his long path to a medical career and the surprising, longstanding vocation of serving others through the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program.
Lisa Orchen
Lisa Orchen details her calling to ministry in the Church and how that has changed over the years as the demands of life have shifted, always requiring continual discernment of God’s will.
Jessica Mannen Kimmet
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Fr. Bill Lies, CSC
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Jeremy and Molly Aranda
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Patrick Garry
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Lisa Hendey
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We welcome you to submit your prayers for yourself and others. A volunteer will offer them on your behalf at the Grotto, where a candle representing all prayer requests remains perpetually lit.
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