27 March 2022 - homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent - CYCLE C - The Prodigal Son - Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

The Gospels for the third and fourth Sundays of Lent are complementary.  Last Sunday, Jesus called for repentance for the forgiveness of sins in the parable of the fig tree and in his discussion of the Galileans Pilate had put to death. Today, in the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus also addresses repentance and forgiveness.  This fourth Sunday of Lent is also called Laetare Sunday, from the Latin word to rejoice.  Today’s celebration inspires us to hear this Gospel of the prodigal son in the light of the joy that comes from repentance and forgiveness.  

There is a story told of a young man named Paco who ran away from his home in rural Spain in the 1920s. He ran away to the capital city of Madrid, working in a restaurant at a hotel where struggling bull fighters lived.  Paco had the dream of becoming a bull fighter one day himself.  No one knew why Paco left home.  Was he kicked out of the house by his father?  Did Paco and his father have an argument that caused Paco to run away? Paco’s family knew he was in Madrid, but had no idea where. Paco’s father was very worried about his son, worried that something terrible would happen to him, worried that he would get into trouble.  The father wanted to reach out to his son, but had no idea where to start to look for him.  The father took out an advertisement in the local newspaper in Madrid, El Liberal.  The advertisement read,“Paco, meet me at the Hotel Montana at noon on Tuesday. All is forgiven! Love, Papa.” Paco was a very common nickname in Spain.  When the father went to the Hotel Montana at noon, there were hundreds of young men named Paco waiting for their fathers, waiting for the forgiveness they never thought was possible. There are so many in this world who are in need of forgiveness and reconciliation, aren’t there?  

Paco’s father cared about the welfare of his son, of wanting to unite with him, not wanting to dredge up his past sins and to punish him for his past.  The father wants Paco to make the choice of wanting a relationship with him.  Paco’s father is similar to the father in the parable of the prodigal son.  The Father does not want to force his son to come back. He does not send out the police to get him. Servants are not instructed to haul him back. No, the father waits. It is up to the son himself to make the crucial decision: does he want to be with his father or not?

We as disciples of Christ are judged by our relationship with God  in the here and now, as God wants to forgive us for our past sins. Do we want a relationship with God right now on our journey?  It was on that basis that the thief who was being crucified with Jesus was told, “This day you will be with me in Paradise.” The thief is promised eternal life “this very day.” What should concern us right now on our journey of faith is whether or not we are currently in a loving relationship with God, if we are reconciled with him.  

Through today’s readings, we are called to think of how we practice forgiveness to others, to those who have offended us. In wanting to experience God’s forgiveness, we also need to learn how to be forgiving to others. However, all too often, we want to place limits on our forgiveness.  To be reconciled with God, we are called to learn how to be reconciled with all those who are sources of conflict or pain in our lives.

We thank God that we have a Lord who is so ready to forgive and welcome us back again and again. But we cannot stop there. We ask God to “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” It is too easy for us to cling to our past hurts, resentments, anger, and hatred. By imitating Jesus more, we find that our relationships improve.  Martin Luther King Jr stated that “forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a constant attitude.”  Yes, as disciples of Christ, forgiveness is a way of life.  

Author Sarah Ban Breathnach states: “Forgiveness is a form of gratitude. When we forgive others, we show them the mercy that we have often received and been thankful for.”  The forgiveness and mercy we have received from God, as well as the forgiveness and mercy we have received from others.  

Perhaps there is a resentment or ruptured relationship with God or with one of our brothers and sisters that is weighing heavily on our hearts.  May our God of love and mercy reach out to our hearts today in the message of the parable of the prodigal son.  May we see this as a call to action. 

31 March 2019 - 4th Sunday in Lent - Cycle C - Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

    We hear a famous Gospel today: the parable of the prodigal son.  When I reflected upon this parable in the midst of the holy season of Lent, I see the theme of repentance and conversion. Indeed, there is great rejoicing in heaven for the sinner who repents, just as there is great joy in the heart of the shepherd when he finds that one lost sheep, just as the father has great joy when his lost son returns. This Gospel reflects the way Christ went out of his way to reach out to the poor and the outcast, how he had dinner with those seen as the greatest of sinners in his society, how he healed the leper, how left his disciples to reach out to those who had never heard his teachings. This message applies to us as a parish, as we are not to just remain closed in and content with our members alone, but are to evangelize and bring the Gospel to others, and in particular to the lost and the forgotten. 

      As we think about our need to forgive and to be forgiven, we still might wonder why the father celebrated his lost son’s return after the son wasted away his fortune.  Why did the father not celebrate the older son who always treated him with dignity and respect? It comes down to forgiveness: Jesus teaches us to forgive - to forgive again and again. Not 7 times.  77 times. This is a lesson in humility, to be sure.  Yes, we are all called to be humble as disciples of Christ. 

F. But beyond humility, this embodies God’s unconditional love.  

       God always welcomes us back. There are many of us who have left our faith for a time, who have left our faith community. There are many of us who feel a big space between us and God, no matter how hard we try. Sometimes we wonder where God is when we call out to him, when we don’t feel him answering us back. But, God welcome us back no matter what.  God is not angry at us for doubting or for straying or for ignoring him. Like the father with the prodigal son, God the Father greets us with joy when we return. It is never too late with God.  It is never too late.  

       We have been reflecting upon the saints during our Lenten journey. In a little more than a week, a group of our youth will be confirmed here at St Jude with Bishop Joseph Kopacz.  This is a major step on their journey.  I have asked a couple of our youth to share with us about the saint they have chosen for their confirmation name.  And how that saint’s life speaks to us our Lenten journey.  

31 de marzo de 2019 – el cuarto domingo de cuaresma - ciclo c – Lucas 15, 1-3, 11-32

       Nosotros católicos tenemos mucho animo para conmemorar la temporada de cuaresma cada año. Cuaresma es un tiempo especial de caminar con Cristo en el desierto durante 40 días, de mirar a nuestros corazones y nuestras vidas. La cuaresma nos da un tiempo de conversión, arrepentimiento y renovación. Nuestra fe católica es rica en tradiciones en la temporada de cuaresma, con el sacramento de reconciliación, con el via cruces, y con la observancia cuaresmal de la oración, el ayuno y las obras de caridad.  

       Hoy, el Evangelio del hijo pródigo se nos presenta el tema del perdón, un tema muy importante en la temporada de cuaresma.  La mayoría de nosotros encuentra el perdón como algo muy difícil para vivir en nuestra camino de fe.  En la misa diaria del martes pasado, escuchamos del evangelio de San Mateo. En este evangelio, Pedro pidió a Jesucristo sobre la frecuencia que debemos perdonar a su hermano que le ofende.  Pedro pregunta – ¿debo perdonar a mi hermano 7 veces? Cristo dice mas de 7 veces - sino más bien setenta veces siete.  Pedro quiere parecer indulgente y misericordioso, le pregunta si él debe perdonar 7 veces, porque los rabinos en la Israel enseñaron que necesita perdonar a sus enemigos no más de 3 veces, citando la sagrada escritura del primer capitulo de Amós con lo que Dios perdonó a los enemigos de Israel 3 veces.  Por lo tanto, que perdona más del doble de los tiempos citado en la sagrada escritura Hebrea, Pedro probablemente pensaba que Cristo iba alabarlo por su misericordia. 

       Por supuesto, Pedro y los otros discípulos deberían tener sorpresa por la respuesta de Jesucristo porque Dios no nos llama a poner límites a nuestra merced y perdón.  Se nos llama a perdonar con tanta gracia y generosidad mil veces como lo hacemos la primera vez que perdonamos.  Somos capaces de practicar este tipo de perdón por la presencia del Espíritu del Señor que llena nuestro corazón.  Es solamente a través de Dios que podemos verdaderamente perdonar.  Es más fácil para desear la venganza o la retribución o recuperación en lugar de perdonar.  Normalmente, es mucho trabajo para perdonar. 

       Tal vez la humildad es la clave para vivir el perdón en nuestra vida.  En su humildad, el hijo pródigo es capaz de decir en el Evangelio de hoy: “Me levantaré, volveré a mi padre y le diré: ‘Padre, he pecado contra el cielo y contra ti; ya no merezco llamarme hijo tuyo. Recíbeme como a uno de tus trabajadores.’”  Si quedamos en nuestro orgullo y arrogancia y vanidad, el perdón quedará un ideal inalcanzable.  Necesitamos reconocer nuestras debilidades y nuestras heridas.  Necesitamos reconocer nuestra dependencia de Dios.  El fundamento del perdón es el amor que Dios nos da.  El fundamento del perdón es el amor ágape que debemos vivir en nuestro camino de fe.

     Una de las obras espirituales de misericordia es perdonar las injurias.  Pero, ¿cómo podemos realmente perdonar a aquellas injurias que cortan nuestros corazones, que atacan a nuestras vidas y las vidas de nuestros queridos?  A veces no nos damos cuenta de las formas en que nuestros hermanos tenía que perdonar en la realidad de sus vidas. Perdonar no es algo fácil en nuestras vidas, pero es importante para hacerlo como discípulos de Cristo.