About returning home

Often during the year, and especially during Lent, the Catholic Church invites us to turn from our sins through repentance and confession. Some people are afraid to approach the priest for confession. The Church understands this very human feeling, and she teaches us that we must resist the temptation of the devil if we wish to live in peace with a pure heart.

Jesus teaches us that God is a father who loves us. When a disciple asked Jesus to teach them to pray, Jesus replied: "When you pray say: Father! Hallowed be Thy name!" These words are very important because we use them to talk with our God. St. Paul said: "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name"(Eph 3, 14-15). This prayer is very beautiful because it reminds us that we are children of God and, as the Apostle Paul teaches us, we can cry, “Abba! Father!" (Rom 8, 15). Do not, therefore, be afraid of a father who is as good as our God.

In today's Gospel (Lk 15, 11-32) Jesus tells us a parable in order to show us "that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him" (Ps 34, 9). It is the parable of the Prodigal son and his brother. We know what Jesus said, but often we forget that this parable speaks more about the father than about his two sons. Today, Jesus' words remind us of the words of the Psalmist when he said: "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love" (Ps 103, 8), and "The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made."(Ps 145, 9).

Today's parable was provoked by the Pharisees and scribes who murmured: "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." He wanted to explain to people why he was behaving like this. Through this parable he was pointing to his Father in heaven, and saying that this was his Father's will.

There are three short dialogues in this parable.

The first dialogue was between the youngest son and his father. He said to the Father: "Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me." What did his father say? Nothing! After a few days, the youngest son gathered his things and moved to a remote place. This dialogue was between the words of the boy and his father's silence. Of course, the father's silence speaks stronger than the egotism and arrogance of his son. The Father's love is boundless! The father suffered a lot, but in silence, respecting the will of the boy!

The second dialogue is also between the young boy and his father, but it is completely different. The son, in his place of suffering, remembered that there was food in his father's house. He decided to return to his father, not as a son but as a servant. He prepared a dialogue with which he wanted to ask his father accept him. This dialogue stopped early because, while the boy was still far off, his father saw him coming and ran and embraced him and kissed him. This dialogue was between the repentance of the son and the father's embrace, a dialogue in silence, but full of love. The father broke the silence to order a celebration, "for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!”

The third dialogue was difficult. It was between the elder son and his father. The elder son was working in the field. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing. A servant told him, "Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound". The boy was angry and refused to go inside. The father went out and pleaded with him. This dialogue was between the anger of the boy and his father's mercy. Practically, this difficult dialogue was composed of two expressions. The boy told his father, "This son of yours", and his father replied, "This brother of yours". This discussion went on for how long? I do not know! What was the result? Jesus did not tell us! Why? For every one of us must work out an end to this parable. Are we ready to accept the invitation to enter the house of the father? Are we merciful like the father? The Catholic Church is always calling our attention to this question, especially during this Jubilee year of mercy.

After thinking briefly about these three dialogues in today’s parable we can ask: "Is there a father, so good and so merciful as our Father in heaven? Is there a father who can understand us as much as God does? Jesus said: "God knows your hearts!" (Lk 16, 15).

The Church rightly insists on our return to our Father and invites us to confess our sins. We do not have any reason to be afraid of our Father in heaven. In fact, his love for us knows no limits. We can trust Him. Jesus tells us: "I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents".

Thank you, Jesus!