Long Way Off
Fourth Sunday of Lent (C)
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
Luke 15:1-3,11-32 - Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them Jesus addressed this parable. “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’
So he got up and went back to his 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. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’”
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
The Church gives us this Gospel passage, of the wonderful parable that we often refer to as the “Prodigal Son”, during Lent likely because it helps reflect on our great sin and need (which are shown in the character of the prodigal son), and on God’s immense mercy (which are shown in the character of the loving father). But while both these characters in Jesus’s parable should be seriously reflected upon, actually Jesus seems to be inviting His original listeners to focus primarily on another character, the often forgotten older brother. The context of Jesus’ telling His parable, St. Luke says, is this: “Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So to them Jesus addressed this parable.”
Jesus’ focus to bring all people into communion with God was shocking (and unacceptable) to Jews of His day who thought of themselves as trying to live by God’s. They saw themselves as faithful more or less, but they saw the Gentiles and unlawful Jews as idolatrous and immoral. This being the case, it is shocking that God would loving welcome, into His very family, all of these people, as long as they request His mercy and forgiveness. So it’s interesting but fitting, that one of the major points of the parable, if not the major point itself, is left open-ended, unanswered. Will the older brother see his father’s mercy or his brother’s sin as mattering more? So now, how about us, the modern hearer? Will we look on Our Father’s mercy or our brother’s sin as mattering more? In our situations that require us to forgive, we must remember that God’s mercy is bigger than our brother’s (or our enemy’s) sin. We also need to remember that only when we accept God’s forgiveness of others, can we accept and receive God’s forgiveness of ourselves.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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