TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD

⏰FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT (YEAR C)

📖Josh 5:9a, 10-12; Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 (R.v.9a); 2 Cor 5:17-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

🎤”TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD” (Ps 34:9) 

My dear, since the beginning of Lent, we are continually being called to come back to the Lord with all our hearts. Those who received this call can be classified into two groups – the Saints in need of God’s Mercy and the Saints who had already gained that Mercy. These two categories of people are represented by the two children of the man in the Gospel of today.

You can see already the thing that is common to the two groups – the Mercy of the Father. This is obviously shared equally by the two groups without exception or discrimination. That is why many scholars think that the story is more likely to be termed the story of the Prodigal Father than that of the Prodigal Son. The attention is more on the love of the Father than on the sins of the younger son.

Hence, today’s Liturgy, just like the theme of the Year of Mercy, calls to reflect on this great and extravagant love of the Father and embrace it.  One attitude of the Father keeps making a deep impression on me in that whole story. It was said that while the son was still a distance off, the father caught sight of him, moved with compassion and ran to meet him (Luke 15:20).

Consider how detailed that verse is in describing the actions of the father. It is in the nature of Luke to do so. That is why his book is the longest in the New Testament. In that light, would it not be absurd that the Gospel did not tell us that the father first of all got up from his seat or bed before running to meet the son?

There could be one explanation why Luke did not bother to tell us that; the father was standing and waiting expectantly and hopefully for the son’s return. He must have been that way since the son left home.

That is how God eagerly waits for us to come back to him. Are we not going to embrace the opportunity?

St. Paul tells us in the Second Reading that anyone who is able to take that bold step to return to God is transformed by God into a new creation. Being a new creation, the person enjoys the protection and provision of God as the Israelites did in the First Reading.

May God give us the grace and joy of coming back to embrace his mercy with all our heart, that we may never be separated from him again. Amen.

Have a merciful and joyful Sunday. Peace be with you.