One Minute Reflection – 31 March – “Laetare” Fourth Sunday of Lent, Year C, Gospel: Luke 15:1–32
But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion and ran and embraced him and kissed him...Luke 15:20
REFLECTION – “The Father ran and embraced him and kissed him.” The parable of the prodigal son is, perhaps, the most moving of the parables Jesus tells in the gospels. The experience and life of the two sons serve solely to reveal the heart of the father. Nowhere else, does Jesus portray the Father in heaven, more vitally, more plainly. The impressiveness of the story, begins already, with the fact, that the father grants the son’s request and hands over to him his portion of the inheritance. For us, a portion of God’s inheritance, is our existence, our freedom, our intellect, our accountability – all of these, are the most sublime goods imaginable, goods that only God could give us. That we, waste it all and end up in distress and that the distress brings us to our senses, is not really as significant, as the father’s vigil, compassion, extravagant greeting, refurbishing of the prodigal and the feast announced in his honour.
Not even for the refractory and envious brother, does the father have a harsh word – he is not scolding him when he speaks to him, he merely speaks the full truth- whoever sticks by God, possesses everything in common with God!
The remarkable thing about Jesus’ glorification of the Father, is that Jesus Himself, does not figure in this portrayal of God’s reconciliation with sinful men. He is nothing other than the Word that reports the reconciliation – really, an always-already-reconciledness. He says nothing about the fact, that He is the Word, through which God establishes His eternal reconciliation with the world!”…Cardinal Hans Urs von Bathasar (1905-1988)
PRAYER – Holy Father, we are sinners who stand in Your presence and serve You. Grant us Your mercy and forgiveness, for we are all Your prodigal children. Your Word, our Christ, came to redeem us. May we honour, love and serve You through His example and by following in His steps. Grant we pray, that by the intercession of the Mother of Christ and our Mother, we may rejoice in eternity with You. Through Jesus our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever, amen.
AnaStpaul 