LENT IS A TIME OF GOING BACK TO THE FATHER

 

Homily for the 4^th Sunday of Lent, Year C

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Scriptural Texts: Joshua 5:9-12, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21. Luke 15:1-3; 11-32

In the gospel reading of this fourth Sunday of Lent, we are presented with the parable of the forgiving father (Luke 15:11-32). Together with the parables of the lost sheep and coin, this parable emphasizes the significance and value that God places on every lost sinner. It paints an unforgettable picture of the overflowing love and mercy of God (Luke 15:7).

In the parable, we read that a man had two sons and the younger of the two sons went to his father and demanded his own share of the family’s inheritance. Typically, one’s inheritance will only be distributed to the children upon one’s demise. But here, the request was made by the son while his father was still alive. As such, the request was absurd and uncharitable. But even as that, the Father responded by giving it to him without hesitation (Luke 15:11-12). And few days later, the younger son left for a distant country where he squandered his own inheritance on loose living. There, he lost everything and even became a swineherd. It was at this point that he realized his folly and depravity, and longed to go home to his father (Luke 15:13-16).

He wrote his apology, rehearsed the words of his confession and started the journey home (Luke 15:17-19). But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and ran to meet him. For a Jewish father to run in a long tunic, it means he would have to lift the tunic and bare his legs in public. He would have to shame himself, and this father was only too happy to do this to get to his son. At that point, nothing was more important to the father than bringing the son home. He had waited for his return. He was able to see him from a distance because he had always looked out for him. When he saw him coming home, he was moved with compassion and he ran to him. The father did not let the rehearsed speech continue. He stopped the son halfway and forgave him (Luke 15:20-22).

Like the younger son, we too in our prodigality and sinfulness, have walked away from God the Father, turned our back on him, failed to be accountable to God and rejected the Father’s love and providence. Each time we sin and exercise our freedom wrongly, we distance ourselves from God. However, the parable of the lost son offers us hope that even in our sinfulness, nothing is really lost; that God can still redeem our past and give us a hope for the future. Despite our making unwise choices in life and at times turning our backs on God, God continues to remain faithful, patiently waiting for our return (2 Pet. 3:9). No matter how we have rejected the love and providence of our God our loving Father, He is always, yes always, ready to forgive us as long as we genuinely repent and return to Him. God does not reject a broken and contrite heart (Ps 51:17).

The parable is also inviting us to imitate the example of the forgiving father in forgiving others. The father was not concerned with how he was offended; he was concerned about his son who was lost; lost from the father’s world. We too have lost many people in our own world of friendship. Like the father, we are called to lift our tunics even at the risk of shaming ourselves and run to those who need us most. Like the father, we should not wait for our offender to come to us and apologize before we can forgive them. Run to your offender and offer them the forgiveness they desire.

Lastly, the season of Lent is a time of going back to the Father. It is a time of realizing how far we have strayed from God due to sin. It is a time of starting a new life and growing in our relationship with God. It is a time of learning to be content by the Father’s side. Today, the Lord is inviting us as a loving Father to arise from our filthiness and addictions, to confess our sins to him and to one another, to amend our lives, and to walk always in his paths. If we choose to go back to God our Father in all sincerity of heart, the Lord will always walk with us. Amen.