Fourth Sunday of Lent 03/27

One of the major blessings of this third year within the liturgical readings cycle (the three-year cycle which we rotate our focus between the different synoptic Gospels Matthew, Mark, and Luke) is that Luke has preserved for us one of the greatest lessons to ever come out of the mouth of the Word of God. 

This Sunday’s Gospel is most widely known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son. However, many theologians have pointed out the fact that this title seems to mischaracterize the essence of this powerful parable, and it does so in a way that has maybe done a disservice to the Church. 

I think most would agree that this story illustrates the heart of the Gospel message more profoundly than any other spoken account in the scriptures. If this is true, then I think it could give each one of us a very interesting opportunity to examine what we believe to be the heart of the Gospel—the essence of Christianity. So I invite you to take a moment of quiet introspection—just as the prodigal son did (which ended up being the most important moment of his life)—to consider seriously what you think the essential message of this Gospel passage is.

These wise theologians pointed out that in place of titling the passage, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, it might be more to its essence to title it The Parable of the Good Father. Too often we can get caught up in the ego-drama of our own complicated and messy reality, and while there is great value in contemplating the return of this prodigal son and how much we resemble (or not) his situation, there would be no hope at all for the son if not for the Good Father. The Christian message, and the joy of the Gospel finds its essence in that no matter what drama we find ourselves in, we have a Good Father who is trying over and over again to tell us:

My child, you are here with me always. Everything I have is yours. Now let us rejoice, because you and your brother were dead, but in me you have life again!