Fourth Sunday of Lent
We are reminded during Lenten Season that the compassion of God is followed by action. The Parable of the Prodigal Son shows quite well the character of our Creator in relation to us, His creation. The old image that some may have of a God in heaven looking down on us to see if we do wrong in order to immediately reprimand us for our iniquities is not the image of God that Jesus reveals in this parable. Instead, he shows us a God that is slow to anger, but quick to bless.
The prodigal son even before he arrived to show contrition to his father is met with open arms and deep love. God comes flying in the greatness of his compassion to help every penitent soul and when he comes he comes to kiss us and embrace us.
We are called during these 40 days of Lent to examine our lives and behavior. The spiritual awakening of the prodigal son allows us to remember our own awakening and how good it feels to be pardoned.
I ask you to consider what situations of your life today are guided by your will, instead of by the divine. Taking a good look at our inner soul and consider what may be hindering our willingness to extend forgiveness and compassion to other people in our life who we feel have wronged us.
Yes, we are called to repent and to mend our ways but we are also called to be compassionate with others around us. God’s love is not a scarce commodity, it never ends. There is never a shortage of love and we are called to forgive the trespasses of others as we are forgiven for our own trespasses.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son challenges us to look closely at our own dark emotions of anger and jealousy, as well as at our more benign qualities of humility, forgiveness and compassion.