A Father's Love for the Two Lost Sons

 

 Fourth Sunday of Lent

27 March 2022

 

First Reading: JOS 5:9a, 10-12

Responsorial Psalm: PS 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

Second Reading: 2 COR 5:17-21

Gospel: LK 15:1-3, 11-32

 

Reflection

By: Jose Paulo M. Gonzales

 

There is perhaps no one on earth who would hold up to our parents when it comes to how well we have been loved growing up. From our tireless daily upkeep to the number of things in the home that need maintaining, not to mention the work they have had to balance with their own threshold for personal well-being, it is a marvel how our parents keep up with everything and have lots yet to spare for us children. If this is any amazing, how much more the love of our Father in Heaven?

The story of the prodigal son shows how genuine and even childlike in innocent expression is the love of the father for his son. To be asked for their young’s own inheritance when the parent is still alive is not for the fainthearted of parents to take, but the father in the story objects not and gives the son his sum anyway. Not even the extravagant escapade of his son was enough to turn him away and at the slightest sight of the son’s remorse, the son need not complete his way home. On his way, the father left home to greet and welcome him back—in full glory. This is the Father’s love for us, stubborn we may be over a life of our free choosing, at the faintest sign of our contrition, we would find no less a home in Him, warm in welcome and full in acceptance.

Imagine how decadent the son’s life was. He asked for his share and made a treatment of his father no different than a dead man. In a different circumstance had the father fallen the property would be called “estate” and the son “heir”; and the transfer would have been natural; but the father was alive, very much so, and not a hint of hesitation would be made out from his reaction. He willingly gave: no questions, no excuses. But the moment the son returned, can we believe it? The father made haste to admit him back into his house all with the choicest robe, a ring on his finger, (new) sandals on his feet, and a full celebration; for his son was dead but is now alive again, and that called for him a celebration. This shows us how the father’s… how our Father in Heaven’s love, beyond accepting, is completely restorative.

The second element worth keeping note of is this: the son who lost his way. In another story in the Bible specifically the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15), God likens Himself to a shepherd who would willingly leave the 99 only to find the lost one. “When he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’” (Luke 15: 5-6) To find the lost one is such a spectacle to God that He said: “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:7). At this point, if we feel we belong to the faithful 99, to suspend our indignation is advised. For it only takes a moment when we get lost ourselves to realize – God leaving the 99 is so important when the lost one is us; but if we stop to think at the basic level, with our own welfare already considered: why is it so special to find the lost if it is only one to the 99?

Everyone has his or her respective predisposition for being good. Thank God we have been born likely to be Christian. For a country whose majority represent the Christian fold, it comes no surprise how many, especially the posterity, are likely to turn to religion. A devotee grandparent who taught us the rosary and the novenas and knows at length her litanies, a faithful mother who first introduced us to Church, a lay minister father who would teach us the Bible, and prolific Catholic schools to supplement all these – we are greatly predisposed towards Christianity… towards overall religion and spirituality. But in other parts of the world, the situation would be different. There would be no grandparent, mother, and father to teach the Bible, let alone have anyone familiar count as a seasonal Church attendee. What of now the people with no access to spiritual materials, religious institutions, and spiritual contemporaries? What of the people who, though with virtuous potential, by faulty programming, developed a taste for delinquent behavior? And this is only for people who have had bare to no touchpoints with spirituality growing up. A person could grow up with the most lavish of comforts, with the most untiring support system, with the most extensive array of spiritual references, but suffer all the same from the unquenchable thirst to go for something that appears so “enchanting” … “exhilarating”. Are all these people barred entry into God’s congregation with no chance of redemption? A person could be fighting all nature – internal predisposition, corrupted moral instruction, and all other obstructions – to be admitted into God’s fold. The lost one could have had none close by—or anyone legitimate to refer to for spiritual instruction; the lost one could have had troubles that made for some aversion to any bit that represents anything Christian; the lost one could have come from a broken home, a neglected childhood, domestic abuse, a bullied youth, so difficult a circumstance to develop a vexing character, but here it is, the lost one, repenting… dead before, but is now alive again. This is the second element that was so impressive in the story of the prodigal son. In giving us reference to the parable of the lost sheep, we are shown how the love of our Father is so pure to actively seek out the lost, with so thoughtful consideration to the circumstance of their origin.

The third element that was noteworthy was this: the jealousy of the brother of the prodigal son. The jealous brother and the prodigal son can be likened to these groups of people: the jealous brother – those who have toiled long living a Christlike life, and the prodigal son – those who have been welcomed as new members or returning. Those who have tired long consistently in the Christian life can understandably feel indignant toward those who have just been welcomed, especially if the latter have been found to be accepted unconditionally; but the story of the prodigal son reminds us that the Father does not at all discount anyone’s labor, for those who have lived with Him “have always been with Him, and everything He has is [theirs], too,” (Luke 15:31)—and of course—the brother’s also. This sharing with each other is only natural in keeping with our Christian virtue. Furthermore, as Galatians 6:9-10 provides: “[We must] not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Today’s readings call us towards the following: the Gospel (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32), not to forget the Father’s acceptance no matter how far we think we have fallen from the fold, and the 2nd Reading (2 Corinthians 5:17-21), to reconcile ourselves to the Father in Christ and to propagate to our neighbors this salvific Message of the Lord so everyone partakes in this redemption, with us as His ambassadors.

Prayer

Lord, Thank You for being our good Father and for all the graces You give us. Thank You especially for the love You lavish on us, that it is not enough You spared not Your own life, that You go with us in our every day, but that You are willing more so to accept us despite our sins, if only to reconcile us to You and to make us Yours in love and perpetual joy. May we share with others incessantly the love You give us tirelessly. These we ask in Jesus’ most holy Name,

Amen.

 

Entitlement and Authority

Twenty-ninth Sunday

in Ordinary Time

17 October 2021 

 

First Reading: IS 53:10-11

Responsorial Psalm: PS 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

Second Reading: HEB 4:14-16

Gospel: MK 10:35-45 or 10:42-45

 

Reflection

By: Bernard Borja

 

Have you ever thought of how your achievements and status in life affected how you treat other people? How often do you keep in mind that we alone do not have all authority over the things that have been given to us?

I remember a time when I was in a grocery store, lining up to the cashier. A man suddenly cuts the line, annoying the others, then said, "Abogado ako. May reklamo ka?"  I thoughtI lined up in a "priority for lawyers" lane. But there was only a priority lane for seniors and PWDs, none for lawyers. I'm not sure if cutting in line is one of the perks of being a lawyer.

There was also a time when me and my wife were on the way to a beach resort for a vacation. There was a vehicle service that would take us and other visitors to the resort we're checking in. A group of young women aboard the service suddenly shouted to the driver, "Bakit kami may kasabay? Sabi exclusive ang service para sa amin?" Then one of them followed with words I could not ponder on, "Wag nyo na hintayin na magpakilala ako!"

Sometimes, our achievements and status in life change the way we look at others, especially when we think that we can bend the rules for our own benefit. In today's Gospel, there was some form of entitlement when the sons of Zebedee asked Jesus, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." To add context or background, James and John may have come from a wealthy family as implied during the call of the first disciples (Mark 1:20 "So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.") Their father, Zebedee, may be a wealthy man during his time as suggested that he has hired men. Their wealthy status may have affected how James and John think that they are more favored than the other disciples. I may also think that during this moment, with their tone of asking "we want you to do whatever we ask of you", they forgot the authority of God.

It is natural for us to pray and ask for things that we want from God. Jesus Himself said, "Ask and you shall receive. This is one of the things that we hold on to and somehow gives us assurance that our prayers will be granted. But we tend to forget prayer is a two-way dialogue. When we pray, we also need to listen because we recognize the authority of God and He alone knows whatever is good for us. Even if our prayer is unselfish or not for us alone, we offer it and trust that, "Thy will be done." Though, there are times that in our desperation, we want God to do for us whatever we ask of Him, because we think that "it is our destiny" or "it is our right to have it." But we do not realize if it really is God's will, because we forget to listen and recognize God's authority.

But in spite of us forgetting God's authority over us, He is still eager to listen to our prayers and to whatever it is that we ask of Him. Jesus' response was still a response of how a servant should be, "What do you wish me to do for you?" Authority has often been perceived as the power to control the other. What Jesus offered us is a new understanding of what authority means - it is to open ourselves to be of service to one another, not just for the benefit of one, but for the good of all.

Jesus continues to remind us that when we use our achievements and status in life for us to be perceived as higher than the others, we become slaves of how we want others to respond and do things for us. We become blinded by a power that we thought is ours. Breaking rules, or laws, will be easier for a person who thinks he or she is more favored than others. But Jesus also reminds us that He came to serve and not to be served. As the letter to the Hebrews says, we can confidently approach God to ask and receive His grace in our time of need. When we keep in mind how approachable Jesus is, and how he continues to give His life as a ransom for many, we recognize God's authority over us and we learned to serve God as He deserved.

Prayer

 

Dear Lord, teach us to recognize You in one another as we continue to learn to serve You as we should. May we listen first before we ask, for us to know what You want for us to do. May we always be reminded to acknowledge that whatever achievements and status we have in life, these are all because of Your authority over us. May we humble ourselves to follow Jesus and trust that in our deepest prayers and desires, You always listen and know what is good for us. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.