THE FATHER'S JOY, OUR REPENTANCE.
March 27, 2022
Fourth Sunday of Lent – Lætare - Year C.
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” (Lk
15:18)
A Danish proverb says: “Every life has its joy, every joy
its law.” And a Persian proverb adds: “If you really have to sin, then choose a
sin that you enjoy.”
There is always a great and indescribable joy in repentance.
This joy is not only that of the repentant sinner but most specifically, the
joy of God, the Father of Mercy. The Lord Jesus himself, more than once said
it, talking of our relationship with God. "Just so, I tell you, there will
be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine
righteous persons who need no repentance." (Lk 15:7.10) This gives us to
foresee that Heaven is a place of celebrations and rejoicing – a place of great
JOY. So, if one wants to increase his joy, he must aim at heavenly realities,
that is giving up the earthly things and embracing the godly ones. That process
is called conversion and repentance, turning away from sin and embracing righteousness.
We are today, the 4th Sunday of Lent, and the liturgy is
filled with a certain message of joy. The joy of our soon coming salvation in
Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection, joy also of our repentance and
reconciliation with God. This Sunday is called "Laetare", from the
first word of the entrance antiphon in Latin, "Laetare, Ierúsalem..."
(Rejoice, Jerusalem). We are called to rejoice because our consolation is at
hand. Salvation is near. God will forgive and forget our sin, and open us into
his embrace, into his land, into his love.
The center of this joy can be found in the beautiful parable
of the Prodigal Son. It is the joy of being forgiven, the joy of a restored
dignity, the joy of returning home. The parable, as presented by Jesus, puts in
action three main characters: a Prodigious and merciful father, a Prodigal and
sinful younger son, and a Traditionalist and hypocrite older son. If we take
the parable in its context as a parable of God’s Mercy, these three characters
depict the Father, God; the older son, the Pharisees with their
self-righteousness; and the younger son anyone who sees himself as a sinner in
need of God’s merciful love, so man in general.
By nature, man wants freedom. And we think that depending on
God takes away from us our freedom. We want to break with anything that keeps
us in dependence, religious, moral, political, and social. Thus, the request of
the younger son: “Father give me the share of your estate that should come to
me.” His request, not only breaks his links and relationships with the Father
and the family, but it is equal to a parricide, an intentional killing of one’s
father. For, we talk of estate and hereditary share only after the death. But
to ask for it while the father is still alive is murder. The thirst for freedom
oftentimes transforms the man into a murderer, a criminal against love. As the
logic goes, one crime engenders other crimes. So, the life of the son away from
his father: a life of dissipation, and this will open him to suffering. After having
wasted the heritage, the son lost his honor. He became a slave of others,
living in shame, caring for pigs (disgraceful animal for Jews), and even
longing to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed. The thirst for
freedom, when not well controlled can make one lose his dignity and every
honor.
The next step shows the son regaining conscience, examining
his life, making contrition for his evil acts, and deciding to return to his
father. When a man becomes aware of his slavery to sin away from God’s love, he
has no other option than to return and ask for mercy: “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.” Until one does not
acknowledge his sin and regret it, there is no mercy, no absolution.
This parable describes well the steps of a well-lived
sacrament of reconciliation. Awareness of sin after an examination of
conscience. The step toward God, the confession, the contrition, and the
absolution that will restore the penitent in the dignity of the children of
God. And that is precisely what will be the part of the Father. God as a Father
of Mercy await tirelessly to the return of the rebellious son. And before any
confession, he is the first to forgive and show love. Jesus says that the
father run at the encounter of the son embraced him and did not let him end his
confession. He ordered him to be restored in his rights and dignity, symbolized
by the finest robe, a ring on his finger, and sandals on his feet, things he
had lost due to sin. This mercy opens to rejoicing: Laetare. It is the joy of
God’s merciful love.
Then the elder son, the self-righteous, but actually guilty
of fratricide, the killing of one's brother. When he heard of the feast and
refused to enter the house, the father approached him, and his reaction was,
not only does he feel not as a son, but he refuses also to call the other one
his brother: “when your son returns…” The older son seemed to be one who obeys,
but sadly, with a closed heart and refusing brotherhood. Though he was with the
father, he served, hoping to be rewarded. He did not feel at home, but less
than one of the slaves. He was incapable of welcoming the repentant sinner. We
too, from times, stand as this elder son. We take offense to God’s mercy and
ask why should he forgive and give a new opportunity to sinners? The Lord calls
us to reason as he did with this son: “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.”
The sinner is my brother. I must not be jealous of him being forgiven, but
rather rejoice that he has not died away from the merciful love of our heavenly
Father.
We too need to be reconciled with God. That is the exhortation of Paul. “Be reconciled to God.” This Lenten season is the right time for such reconciliation. In Christ, we are made new creations. Therefore, we should let go of sin and embrace righteousness. As he did with his people in the desert, the Lord has removed from us the reproach of our offenses and rebellions. No longer should we be fed on the bread of our tears. He will feed us on his providential and merciful love. So let us rejoice! Let us taste and see His goodness.
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