4th Sunday Lent - Year C

THE FORGIVING FATHER

Imagining ourselves to be on a journey, we should think of God waiting for us at our destination.  God sees us “while we are still a long way off.”  In case we may not see our God coming toward us, provisions are made for huge billboards to alert us to the divine presence and salvific event.  One reads: “There will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Lk 15:10).  Another invites: “I will heal your defection; I will love you freely - come back to me”.(Hosea 4:5)

Deeply moved at the sight of us coming home in need of forgiveness, our God grabs us before we can speak our sins and embraces us with a love that forgives, affirms and reinstates the relationship that we have broken.  This loving forgiveness is illustrated in a touching way in today’s gospel (Lk. 15:1-3, 11-32)in the parable of the prodigal come home.

“A man had two sons”.  So the parable begins, and, with that announcement, we are invited to determine which son we identify with most.  Will we throw in our lot with the son who knew himself to be a sinner- who humbled himself, admitted his sin and came home to find the open arms of his forgiving father? Or will we stand in sympathy with the older son and allow the love that has been lavished on us to be overshadowed by anger and resentment?

Surely the Pharisees and the Scribes took offence at what they would have perceived as flagrant injustice.  The tax collectors and sinners regarded it to be too good to be true. Jesus’ parable of forgiveness wounded the sense of fairness of the professional keepers and interpreters of the law.  We can almost hear them murmuring, “Yes, let the prodigal return, but to bread and water, not fatted calf; in sack cloth, not a new robe; wearing ashes , not a new ring; in tears, not in merriment; kneeling, not dancing”. (Fred Craddock, “Luke” 1990) But this is precisely the point of Jesus’ parable.  God’s grace and forgiveness are lavish, not limited, and these are offered to repentant sinners.  We for our part, must follow the lead of the prodigal and “come to our senses”(v.17) and recognize our sinfulness.  Then we will discover that our God is already running out to meet us to reinstate us as beloved sons and daughters.