We Have a Father

“While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.”

Luke 15:20

First published as “Foolish in the Eyes of the World” on March 11, 2023.

As you may have guessed by the famous painting of Rembrandt that is sprinkled throughout the website, the Parable of the Prodigal Son holds a very special place in my heart. Today’s Gospel reading is this parable. We have the privilege of hearing this parable at Sunday Mass every three years on the Fourth Sunday of Lent. This parable is really a masterful love story about a father whose mercy is so boundless that it appears foolish to the world, but that does not stop the father from loving and forgiving.

The parable begins, “A man had two sons…” where the younger decides that he’s had enough of home and dares ask his father for his share of the inheritance, virtually saying his father is dead to him. The father seemingly foolishly divides his estate up and gives it to him. Without a word of gratitude, the younger son sets off on his “new life” of debauchery and drunkenness, wasting every last penny of his share of the inheritance. When push came to shove, he’d rather hire himself out to foreigners to do work that no Jew would or could lawfully do instead of returning home. Isn’t this the story of many of us? Even when we have made decisions that we knew were bad and as the consequences were slowly manifesting, we remain stubborn and obstinate, refusing to ask for help or to admit to our wrongdoing. Instead we convince ourselves, “I’ve got this,” not from a spirit of trust in God’s Providence, but rather a spirit of excessive pride. Thankfully (and hopefully) the scales from our eyes and the locked door to our hearts eventually fall and unlock, and we come to accept that we have not always been right and we “turn around” and reach out to those whom we know will always answer us when we call. No surprise, the younger son in the parable also eventually came to his senses when he was literally fighting pigs for food. When he makes it home, his father embraces him and kisses him. His father sees only his son and not the hurtful things he may have said or done. All that matters is that his son is home. The same goes for God, our Father in heaven.

At this time I will not explore too much of the parable, but if you are interested, you can read, listen to, or watch the different reflections and conferences I offered on this beautiful encounter.

Let us always remember that we have a Father in heaven who is like the father in this parable who loves us so deeply that He seems like a fool to those without faith. He patiently waits for us to come home and when we do, He does not scold us or scream at us, rather, He embraces us and reminds us of our truest identity: His beloved sons and daughters, and nothing — no sin, no evil can ever take that away from us. How blessed are we!

Watch this week’s reflection below.

From Shame to Freedom

“The woman left her water jar 
and went into the town and said to the people, 
‘Come see a man who told me everything I have done.
Could he possibly be the Christ?”

John 4:28-29

Depending on which Mass you are celebrating on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent, you may hear different readings. Typically at the masses where the “scrutinies” are being celebrated, you will hear the “Year A” readings, where each of the three Sundays describe an encounter between Jesus and an individual. These “character Gospels” are meant to help us see the power of the encounter with Christ and the liberating and saving effects of it. On the Third Sunday of Lent (Year A), we hear of the powerful encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well — an encounter that raises a woman weighed down by sin and shame and moves her to freedom and life.

While Jesus was resting at the well, a Samaritan woman comes to draw water. It was noon. No one in their right mind goes to draw water at noon when the sun is beating down at them. Usually, the women would draw water early in the morning, but this woman goes at noon. Why? Perhaps she did not want to see them because of what they might say or do in her presence. The Samaritan woman was an adulterer, and the man she is with now is not her husband. The town knows it. So in her shame and to avoid others, she goes to draw water at noon. She expected no one, but little did she know, her life was about to be changed forever.

Jesus starts the conversation by asking for a cup of water, but the woman was confused seeing that He was Jewish and she was a Samaritan. But, Jesus was saying much more than simply asking for a drink. He was thirsting for her salvation, he was thirsting to restore her to new life. “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” This living water is the water of baptism, the water that would quench the shame and guilt that held her down and kept her from living the life for which she has been created. She was lost in sin and attached to the world, and the Lord was offering her a remedy. After that encounter, the Samaritan woman “left her water jar” at the well and went into town sharing with everyone she met the encounter she had with Jesus, prompting others to go and encounter Jesus themselves.

That’s the power of encounter, brothers and sisters. When one comes to encounter Jesus and truly allow themselves that experience that encounter, life will never be the same. The only response will be that of the Samaritan woman’s — going into town and telling everyone about the Lord and what He has done in your life and inviting others to encounter Him. The Lord comes to seek us even when we are drowning in sin so that He might pull us out of it and give to us the living water that refreshes, cleanses, and saves. He comes to you today, will you welcome this encounter?

Watch this week’s reflection below.

The Father Speaks

“Then from the cloud came a voice that said,

‘This is my chosen Son; listen to him.’”

Luke 9:35

---

First published as “Listen to Him” on March 13, 2022.

On this Second Sunday of Lent the Church proclaims, hears, and ponders Luke’s account of the Transfiguration, where the Father spoke from the cloud affirming Jesus’ identity. But, the Father also spoke to Peter, John, and James, and He speaks to us today the same message and command: “Listen to Him.”

We do not see many times in the New Testament where God the Father speaks directly, but this is one of them. The Father affirms that Jesus is His chosen Son before the Apostles on the mountain and also instructs them to listen to Him. To really see the profundity of this, we have to see what comes right before this. The passages leading up to the Transfiguration are: Peter’s confession of who Jesus is, the first prediction of the passion, and also Jesus’ explanation of the conditions of discipleship. On the mountain, Jesus appeared in His glory, giving the Apostles a glimpse of the Resurrection and what awaits them. This happened only after Peter declared his confession, Jesus predicted what will happen to Him, and Jesus told the disciples what is needed to follow Him (deny oneself, pick up one’s cross, and follow Him). And now, the Father tells the Apostles “Listen to Him.” Listen to who Jesus is. Listen to what Jesus will have to endure for the salvation of souls. Listen to what Jesus says is needed to be in relationship with Him and with the Father. Listen to how much you are loved. Listen to Him.

To be a disciple, to be a Christian means to “Listen to Him.” To be a Christian means to know that we must follow the Lord not only in His glory, but also the path to it — His exodus (cf. Lk. 9:31). Just as Moses led the Israelites out of slavery from Egypt, so too does Christ lead the people out of slavery from their sins. Christ leads a people who have become dead by their attachment to sin to new life in freedom as children of God. There will be glory, but never without the Cross. Never without suffering, never without sacrifice. But we know that this suffering and sacrifice are not meaningless because we have seen His glory. Because Peter, James, and John saw Jesus in His glory, although they fled when the soldiers came to arrest Him, they ultimately walked the exodus and endured the suffering. They listened to Him.

As we continue our Lenten journey, let us spend more time listening to the Lord who speaks to us in the silence of our hearts. Let us listen to Him because He who has loved us with an everlasting love has asked this of us. In listening to Him may we find the courage and strength to live out the exodus of our lives, carrying our crosses, knowing that at the end of our pilgrimage is a happiness and glory that cannot be described with words, a joy and peace that is everlasting.

Watch this week’s reflection below.