The unconditional love of the Father is for us.
Fr. Steve preaches on this memorable Gospel passage about the prodigal son. He encourages us to probe our hearts. Where are we guilty of persistent sin in our lives?God wants to purify us of that sin. And when we turn to the Father to seek forgiveness, we find his arms open to receive us. No lectures on morality. No ultimatum to stop our sinful ways. Just a gaze of unconditional love, as the Father envelops us in his arms.
In the parable of the prodigal son, when the Father sees the son a long way off, he precipitates into an undignified dash out to where the son staggers homeward. "Bring his robe! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Kill the fatted calf!"
The son, who was dead, has come back to life. He who was lost is now found.
Fr. Steve urges us to not just let the Lord into the parlor of our lives, when we approach him for the sacrament of reconciliation, but to bring him into the dark lumber room, the locked chest, the hidden corners of our lives. We will find, in fact, that he is already there, ready and willing to forgive us anything and everything. There is no sin that is beyond his power of forgiveness.
We are the prodigal son. Let us return home this Lent into the waiting arms of our loving Father. Let us allow him to forgive us and take us back.
