Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.
“Looking Ahead” is a reflection on the Sunday readings, for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, by Father Perry.
By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor
In these Masses, the Cycle A readings are proclaimed, and the scrutinies are celebrated.
In the Gospel, we are given the example of blindness that leads to seeing, and seeing that is really blind; ultimately, Jesus is offering us the gift of real vision —
“Do you believe in the Son of Man? You have seen him”
The Cycle C readings recall the amazing story of a father and his two sons.
It has been forever entitled by scripture editors as the “Story of the Prodigal Son.” But it is so much more.
True, a spoiled son — the baby of the family — has the audacity to ask for his inheritance.
And this before his father had died!
The father, without even blinking, gives all of the inheritance to the boy who goes out and blows it all on less-than-decent living.
When broke and friendless, he works for a bit on a farm but is miserable. “Coming to his senses”, or, rather, realizing that he has to go back and beg daddy to take him back, he does just that.
The father runs to him in love, and embraces and kisses him in love, and takes him back, in love, without even a question.
So the story in later times has been renamed by some as the “Story of the Loving Father.”
But we are just beginning.
The older son comes home after working all day to discover a big party being thrown for his spoiled brat of a brother.
He is so jealous, and so resentful, and so angry that he won’t even go into the celebration.
The loving father comes out to his older son, in love, and begs him to come into the celebration, in love, and contextualizing, in love, all that has happened —
“Your brother was dead and has come back to life!”
Who do we resemble in the story: 1, the spoiled brat; 2, the resentful and angry older brother; or 3, the loving father?
Probably it is all three at different times; but the Gospel calls us clearly to grow like the loving father.
This story is just another family story, but this story brings hope and love, and the possibility for renewal and life!
Quote of the week |
“The day of my spiritual awakening was the day I saw and I knew I saw all things in God and God in all things.” — Mechthild of Magdeburg (1207-1282).
