My dear friends, we conclude the second week of Lent by reflecting on the Book of Micah, chapter 7, and the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15. Thes...
My dear friends, we conclude the second week of Lent by reflecting on the Book of Micah, chapter 7, and the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15. These two readings offer us the most breathtaking picture of God’s nature found anywhere in Scripture. Micah asks, "Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin?" He declares that God does not persist in anger, but delights in clemency, casting our sins into the depths of the sea. Jesus illustrates this exact theology with the masterpiece parable of the Prodigal Son. A rebellious boy insults his father, squanders his inheritance, and finds himself starving in a pigsty, only to be welcomed back by a father who runs to embrace him. The combined gist is overwhelming: there is no sin greater than God’s capacity to forgive. We serve a Father who is always scanning the horizon for our return. We can summarize this profound mystery using three words: Rebellion, Return, and Rejoice.
We all know the reality of Rebellion. The younger son demanded his share of the estate, essentially telling his father he wished he were dead. He took his gifts and ran to a distant country. Every time we choose sin, every time we let our pride dictate our actions, we are packing our bags for that distant country. We squander the grace of our baptism on the fleeting, empty promises of the world.
But grace allows for a Return. The Gospel says the boy "came to his senses." He realized that even the hired workers in his father's house had it better than he did. Repentance is this exact moment of clarity. It is getting up out of the mud of our bad habits and walking back to the truth of who we are.
And waiting for us is the command to Rejoice. The father did not wait for an apology. He saw his son from a long way off, ran to him, kissed him, and threw a feast. God delights in clemency! He does not cross-examine us; He restores us. Today, if you are far off, know that the Father is running toward you. Let us run into His arms, and let us never be like the older brother, refusing to rejoice when someone else finds their way home. Amen.
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