Today is March 30, the Fourth Sunday of Lent.
At today’s Mass, we hear: “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'” (Lk 15:20-21).
The prodigal son returns to his father in the Gospel today. “I no longer deserve to be called your son,” he says. The father does not even acknowledge the comment by responding. He is so overwhelmed that his son has returned that his mind is on a party to celebrate.
We are sons and daughters of God. Nonetheless, we are compelled to think about our sins during Lent. Being the children of God does not mean that we have conquered sin in our lives. It is an ongoing process! Each of us is a saint-in-process, also known as a repentant sinner. We each have certain struggles in our lives and particular ways we are tempted to act against our relationship with God.
Rejoicing in reaction to sorrow
Perhaps we can think of ways that we do not deserve the grace God has given us, to be called his sons and daughters. How many times the words of the repentant prodigal son should have been our own! “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.” Yet, every time we come to the Father with sorrowful hearts, his reaction is the same: rejoicing.
We do not deserve to be called sons and daughters, yet that is what we are. God has made a commitment to us as our Father. We remain his children even as we struggle with sin. In fact, it is only as his children that we will be able to conquer in the end. We need not fear, for our Father is watching over us and always ready to pick us back up and embrace us when we have fallen.
Let us pray,
O God, who through your Word reconcile the human race to yourself in a wonderful way, grant, we pray, that with prompt devotion and eager faith the Christian people may hasten toward the solemn celebrations to come. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
