2nd week in Lent, Saturday – 2nd March 2024 – Micah 7,14-15.18-20; Luke 15, 1-3.11-32
Interconnected Sufferings
In the parable of the prodigal son, the younger son’s decisions caused everyone to suffer. He suffered because, after he had spent all he had, a mysterious famine gripped the land, putting him in terrible ways. He found himself dying from hunger. The father also suffered, although he had done no wrong. He did nothing to deserve the betrayal of his own son. The older son suffered when his brother left, and even more so when his brother returned. The parable repeats itself among many of today’s families broken by infidelity, addiction, or dysfunction. Suffering is the natural consequence of sin, unmysterious and predictable. The prodigal son took very specific actions to achieve his goals. He unjustly demanded his inheritance, abandoned his family, squandered his funds, and lived hedonistically. These actions, being sinful, bore in themselves the seeds of suffering. The passage also explains the path of conversion of the younger son – by ‘coming to his senses.’ He was taking stock of the nature of his suffering, of its self-evident causes, which led him to change his behaviour. Now, our conscience warns us that indulging in our selfishness and egoism is unstainable. We must then be ready to turn away from our sins and find some means to be relieved of our sufferings.