Fr. Piero Lazzarini, SX
FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT
Parable of the Prodigal Son? No, no, no, by no means. This is the PARABLE OF THE MERCIFUL FATHER! For centuries the parable, which is proclaimed in the 4th Sunday of Lent (C), has been referred to as the Parable of the Prodigal Son because HE appeared to be the main actor of the story.
But in recent years (let's say, since Vatican 2), more and more frequently, this parable has been re-named as the Parable of the Merciful Father, owing perhaps to the fact that now millions of christians have been reading and reflecting and "discovering" WHO is the real FOCUS, the HEART of the parable.
The central point of the story is the LOVE of the Father, which shows so beautifully in the way he behaves, first, towards the younger son, and then also towards the elder one.
After all, are there not TWO "prodigal" sons in the parable? Is the elder son not also a "prodigal" son, in the sense of mischievous, sinful, deviant? Is he not, too, in need of repentance and conversion.
Here, it is good to point out some expressions of Luke's text that indicate the Father's incredible and humble love:
* He trustingly gives freedom of choice to his young son....." He saw him while he was still a long way... He was moved with pity... He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly...He said to the servants: Quick, bring out the best robe... put a ring on his finger... bring the calf... We are going to have a FEAST,, a celebration because THIS SON OF MINE was dead and has come back to life..."
* Regarding the elder son: "His Father came out to plead with him... MY SON, you are with me always and all I have is YOURS... It is right we should celebrate because YOUR brother was lost and is now found..."
At this point we could relate the story of the parable to the HOLY YEAR OF MERCY and pick some "flowers", some gems, from Pope Francis' Bull (letter) of Indiction, to hammer in the meaning and beauty of MERCY in connection with God:
- God's mercy, rather than a sign of weakness, is the mark of his omnipotence (n.6)
- The mission Jesus received from the Father was that of revealing the mystery of divine love in its fullness (n. 8)
- Jesus Christ is the FACE of the Father's mercy (n. 1, opening statement)
- Mercy is the very foundation of the Church's life (n. 10)
- Mercy is the most stupendous attribute of the Creator and of the Redeemer (n. 11)
- What moved Jesus in all situations was nothing other than MERCY! (n. 8)
Also, in the mentioned document (the Bull: "The face of mercy") Pope Francis comments on the THREE PARABLES OF MERCY (The lost sheep, The lost drachma, "THE FATHER WITH TWO SONS": mark the title!). By these - he says - "JESUS REVEALS THE NATURE OF GOD!"
Moreover, "in these parables GOD is always presented as FULL OF JOY, especially when He forgives". God finds JOY in SHOWING MERCY! "God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy" (Ev. Gaud., n.3).
Note the repeated expressions of joy in each parable:
- Lost sheep: "He takes it joyfully on his shoulders... calls his friends and neighbours... Rejoice with me... (AND:)There will be MORE rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repenting than over 99 upright people!"
- Lost drachma: "She would call together her friends... Rejoice with me.. There will be rejoicing among the angels of God..."
- The Father with two sons: As pointed out above, the Father's joy is overflowing, uncontainable, and it demands a celebration: a FEAST!
BUT... here we wonder: WHY is there "MORE JOY" in heaven over ONE sinner repenting than over 99 good people? It sounds a bit disquieting, unfair, even scandalous, does it not?
Is sinfulness more important, more precious than faithfulness?
A convincing exegesis is not easy to find. The best one perhaps may be found in Charles Peguy, a French poet/theologian. I do not quote verbatim, I sum up briefly what he says.
"Going astray,( getting lost), the lost sheep made God's heart shiver. God became afraid of losing her for good, ie. having to condemn her for ever. This fear/anxiety made HOPE spring up in the heart of God. And hope, when fulfilled, has caused JOY, celebration!
Man's repentance is the crowning of a hope in the heart of God, a kind of a new feeling.
God loves everyone in LOVE. But "that sheep" God has loved also in HOPE!"
FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT
Parable of the Prodigal Son? No, no, no, by no means. This is the PARABLE OF THE MERCIFUL FATHER! For centuries the parable, which is proclaimed in the 4th Sunday of Lent (C), has been referred to as the Parable of the Prodigal Son because HE appeared to be the main actor of the story.
But in recent years (let's say, since Vatican 2), more and more frequently, this parable has been re-named as the Parable of the Merciful Father, owing perhaps to the fact that now millions of christians have been reading and reflecting and "discovering" WHO is the real FOCUS, the HEART of the parable.
The central point of the story is the LOVE of the Father, which shows so beautifully in the way he behaves, first, towards the younger son, and then also towards the elder one.
After all, are there not TWO "prodigal" sons in the parable? Is the elder son not also a "prodigal" son, in the sense of mischievous, sinful, deviant? Is he not, too, in need of repentance and conversion.
Here, it is good to point out some expressions of Luke's text that indicate the Father's incredible and humble love:
* He trustingly gives freedom of choice to his young son....." He saw him while he was still a long way... He was moved with pity... He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly...He said to the servants: Quick, bring out the best robe... put a ring on his finger... bring the calf... We are going to have a FEAST,, a celebration because THIS SON OF MINE was dead and has come back to life..."
* Regarding the elder son: "His Father came out to plead with him... MY SON, you are with me always and all I have is YOURS... It is right we should celebrate because YOUR brother was lost and is now found..."
At this point we could relate the story of the parable to the HOLY YEAR OF MERCY and pick some "flowers", some gems, from Pope Francis' Bull (letter) of Indiction, to hammer in the meaning and beauty of MERCY in connection with God:
- God's mercy, rather than a sign of weakness, is the mark of his omnipotence (n.6)
- The mission Jesus received from the Father was that of revealing the mystery of divine love in its fullness (n. 8)
- Jesus Christ is the FACE of the Father's mercy (n. 1, opening statement)
- Mercy is the very foundation of the Church's life (n. 10)
- Mercy is the most stupendous attribute of the Creator and of the Redeemer (n. 11)
- What moved Jesus in all situations was nothing other than MERCY! (n. 8)
Also, in the mentioned document (the Bull: "The face of mercy") Pope Francis comments on the THREE PARABLES OF MERCY (The lost sheep, The lost drachma, "THE FATHER WITH TWO SONS": mark the title!). By these - he says - "JESUS REVEALS THE NATURE OF GOD!"
Moreover, "in these parables GOD is always presented as FULL OF JOY, especially when He forgives". God finds JOY in SHOWING MERCY! "God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy" (Ev. Gaud., n.3).
Note the repeated expressions of joy in each parable:
- Lost sheep: "He takes it joyfully on his shoulders... calls his friends and neighbours... Rejoice with me... (AND:)There will be MORE rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repenting than over 99 upright people!"
- Lost drachma: "She would call together her friends... Rejoice with me.. There will be rejoicing among the angels of God..."
- The Father with two sons: As pointed out above, the Father's joy is overflowing, uncontainable, and it demands a celebration: a FEAST!
BUT... here we wonder: WHY is there "MORE JOY" in heaven over ONE sinner repenting than over 99 good people? It sounds a bit disquieting, unfair, even scandalous, does it not?
Is sinfulness more important, more precious than faithfulness?
A convincing exegesis is not easy to find. The best one perhaps may be found in Charles Peguy, a French poet/theologian. I do not quote verbatim, I sum up briefly what he says.
"Going astray,( getting lost), the lost sheep made God's heart shiver. God became afraid of losing her for good, ie. having to condemn her for ever. This fear/anxiety made HOPE spring up in the heart of God. And hope, when fulfilled, has caused JOY, celebration!
Man's repentance is the crowning of a hope in the heart of God, a kind of a new feeling.
God loves everyone in LOVE. But "that sheep" God has loved also in HOPE!"