30 March 2025
Lectionary Readings: Joshua 5:9a, 10-12; Ps. 34:2-3, 4-5,6-7; 2 Cor 5:17-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Theme: Reconciling Love
The book of Joshua celebrates freedom and the arrival of the Israelites in their former home of Jericho after God leads them out of years of slavery in Egypt. They find new life and begin producing their own food once again.  Psalm 34 proclaims, “O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in God.”  In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, at a much later time, he reminds the people that “there is a new creation: everything old has passed away” (v. 17) and all are called to be “ambassadors for Christ” (v. 20) as part of the new creation by which Christ’s ministry has reconciled them to God, their loving and merciful Creator.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells the parable of a father’s unconditional love for his lost younger son who is referred to as the prodigal son. When this lost son “woke up” to the reality of his life and realized he had wasted all that was given to him, he longed for change and wanted to return home. The father had not ceased praying for his return and kept watch for him. From a distance, the father finally saw his son returning and immediately called for preparations to celebrate this son’s return to Life! The father ran toward him calling out in love and compassion for he who was “dead” is now back to life with the family. The elder son became angry at this welcome and celebration in response to his younger brother’s return. While the elder son had stayed home to help care for his parents’ needs, he had not been given any party to celebrate this devotion. Acknowledging that the younger son was reckless and thoughtless as he spent his inheritance on a meaningless lifestyle, the father called on his eldest son to open his heart to his brother in forgiveness and welcome. Jewish expectations tend to assume good qualities in elder sons while assuming younger sons will not insult their fathers. Specifically in this story, as he returns home, “the text does not say the younger son is repenting but his motive for return is economic desperation. Jewish tradition also sees fathers as loving their children and God as always reaching out to bring the sinner home” (Levine, 146).
Seemingly aligned with the lesson of this parable, “Pope Francis’s encyclical Fratelli Tutti exhorts us to this kind of re-awakening to spiritual brotherliness, sisterliness, to the sense of one family of God, a reconciled human race. We are called to re-enter the Father’s house and have a continuous celebration of every re-entry” (Ondigo, 55). We are also called to be ambassadors of mercy, welcome, and justice. The Holy Father calls us this Lent to be reconciled and to welcome all our sisters and brothers to the new life offered by our loving God.
For Reflection and Discussion: 1. With which person in the parable do you connect the most at this time? 2. Has this Lenten journey been one of renewal and hope? 3. Have you witnessed new life in others around you who share the journey? In what way? 4. Do you experience a greater sense of mercy, forgiveness, and care for those seeking change for good and life-giving hope? 5. Do you know anyone who was “dead” and came back to life? In what way?
Bibliography: Ondigo, A. C. “Fourth Sunday of Lent.” Catholic Women Preach—Cycle C, Maryknoll (2024); Levine, A.J. and M.Z. Brettler, The Jewish Annotated New Testament, 2nd ed., Oxford (2017).
This week’s Sunday Liturgy Commentary was prepared by
Mary Louise Chesley-Cora, USA, Bat Kol Alumna 2001
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