On this Fourth Sunday on Lent – Lætáre Sunday – we read one of the most well known parables of Jesus: The Parable of the Prodigal Son. It is a story we all know very well. The younger son asks for his inheritance early, akin to wishing his father were already dead, and squanders it in a foreign land on dissolute living. After indulging in all of his lesser appetites, the young son realizes that none of his sinful pursuits ultimately satisfy, in fact, they leave him feeling emptier than before. And so, he decides to return home and repent for his wrongdoings.
This parable follow shortly after the Parable of the Lost Sheep where Christ presents Himself as the Good Shepherd who searches diligently and tirelessly for his wayward sheep. In contrast to that, in today’s parable, the father allows his son the freedom to turn away from him. Likewise, God respects our freedom and does not force us into relationship. God may even allow us to sin as a kind of ‘wake up call.’ The young son is allowed to lead a life of debauchery for the very purpose of eventually coming to realize that his actions do not make him happy. When he realizes this and decided to return home, “and while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran out and put his arms around him and kissed him” (Lk 15:20).
God the Father, who is rich in mercy, is waiting for each of us to return to Him. At this halfway point in Lent, ask God to reveal what is still separating you from Him. He is waiting for you to return to Him so He can come out to meet you and rejoice – Lætáre – in your return.
Kevin Ponte – St. Joseph Seminary, Edmonton, Alberta
Fot. Freely/Louis Smit