2nd week in Lent, Saturday – 14th March 2020 – Luke 15, 1-3.11-32
Journey Home begins from within
Jesus uses this parable in response to the Pharisees and scribes who are murmuring about His eating with tax collectors and sinners. He narrates this in order to explain His mission to the sinful people who seek to return to God. And he shows how He and His Abba-Father rejoice when a sinful individual turns away from sin and turns back to God. The climax is that God throws a party to celebrate the return of wayward offspring. Here Father is pictured as anxiously awaiting for his younger son’ return. When in the midst of mire and filth, the younger son comes to his senses. There are four parts to the speech that he prepares: 1) An address – “Father”; 2) A confession – “I have sinned”; 3) Contrition – “I am no longer worthy”; and 4) A Petition – “treat me as one of your hired servants”. The direct confession in his interior monologue confirms the sincerity of his intent. His journey home begins with coming to himself and ends with his surrender to the Father. It means learning to say Abba-Father once again, putting his trust in the heavenly Father, returning to the Father’s house and the Father’s arms.
