FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD
Second Saturday of LENT
March 14, 2020
WORD of the DAY
So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ (Luke 15: 20-21)
How shall I live this Word?
We will use the comment of Pope Francis during a recent General Audience at the Vatican for our comment on today’s Gospel.
“We begin from the end, that is, from the joy of the Father’s heart who says, ‘Let us celebrate because my son has returned.’ These words of Jesus encourage us to never despair. I think of the mothers and fathers who are worried when their children distance themselves and go on dangerous roads. I think of pastors and catechists who sometimes ask themselves if their work is useless. But I also think of those who are in jail, and it seems that their life is over; of those who have made bad choices and cannot look to the future. I look to all those who hunger for mercy and forgiveness and feel they do not merit it… In whatever situation of life, we must never forget that we never stop being children of God, being a child of the Father who loves me and waits for my return. Even in the ugliest situations of life, God waits for me, God wants to embrace me, God expects me.
The children can decide to unite themselves to the joy of the Father or to refuse it. They must question themselves on their desires, the vision they have of life. The parable ends by leaving the finale in suspension. We do not know what the older son decided to do. This is a stimulus for us. This Gospel teaches us that we all need to enter into the house of the Father and participate in His joy, in His feast of mercy and of fraternity. Brothers, sisters, let us open our heart to be ‘merciful and the Father is merciful!”
The voice of Pope Francis
The figure of the Father in this parable unveils the heart of God. He is the merciful Father who in Jesus loves us without measure, always awaits our conversion each time that we err. He waits for our return when we distance ourselves from Him thinking that we can do without Him. He is always ready to open His arms no matter what has happened.
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Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Via dell’Ateneo Salesiano 81, 00139 Rome, Italy E-mail: srmterzo@gmail.com Website: www.sanbiagio.org info@sanbiagio.org Blog: livingscripture.wordpress.com Comment by Sr. Graziella Curti, FMA
