March 30: The Day of the Lord

Our Lenten journey continues with one of the best loved and best known parables of Jesus. Luke 15, 11-32 begins with “A man had two sons...” It is a parable that speaks to all of us who have known jealous rivalry, all of us who have known conflict between children and parents, and all of us who have known conflict between siblings. That pretty well covers all of us, doesn’t it?

As familiar as the story is to us, we have to be careful and thoughtful about which of the three characters or protagonists gets our attention and is worthy of our imitation. We so easily assume that we are called to imitate the younger son by adopting his spirit of repentance. We also so easily assume that the other son’s challenge to set aside his jealousy and bitterness is a central calling of this Lenten season. But isn’t it possible that Jesus wants to draw our attention first and foremost to the father? His shocking generosity, his willingness to be humble before his sons, his willingness to reach out to both of them, and his desire to bring his family back together ... are these not the qualities of our Father in heaven that Jesus wants us to make our own?

The parable we share at Mass today is about the boundless mercy of God. There is no limit to God’s forgiveness and our repentance brings joy to the Father’s heart. Do any of us want to learn how to be as humble, amazing, and generous as the Father is? Read the parable! Do any of us want to know what it’s like to be challenged to set entitlement and privilege aside and heal the wounds of sin and division? Read the parable! Do any of us want to hear the call to repentance, come home, and be welcomed into God’s loving arms? Read the parable! Or, better, live it!