Scripture Scribbles: March 27, 2022

the Gospel

Lk 15:1-3, 11-32

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,

but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,

“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

So to them Jesus addressed this parable:

“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,

‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’

So the father divided the property between them.

After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings

and set off to a distant country

where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.

When he had freely spent everything,

a severe famine struck that country,

and he found himself in dire need.

So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens

who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.

And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,

but nobody gave him any.

Coming to his senses he thought,

‘How many of my father’s hired workers

have more than enough food to eat,

but here am I, dying from hunger.

I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,

“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I no longer deserve to be called your son;

treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’

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.’

But his father ordered his servants,

‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him;

put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.

Then let us celebrate with a feast,

because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;

he was lost, and has been found.’

Then the celebration began.

Now the older son had been out in the field

and, on his way back, as he neared the house,

he heard the sound of music and dancing.

He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.

The servant said to him,

‘Your brother has returned

and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf

because he has him back safe and sound.’

He became angry,

and when he refused to enter the house,

his father came out and pleaded with him.

He said to his father in reply,

‘Look, all these years I served you

and not once did I disobey your orders;

yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.

But when your son returns

who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,

for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’

He said to him,

‘My son, you are here with me always;

everything I have is yours.

But now we must celebrate and rejoice,

because your brother was dead and has come to life again;

he was lost and has been found.’”

the devotion

This Gospel reading never fails to show me something new.

As I pray with it on this Fourth Sunday of Lent what strikes me most is the gift of Reconciliation the Father bestows upon us without a blink of an eye when we return to Him with conviction, humility, and penance. In recent years, God has revealed to me the beautiful gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

I sit down in the confessional and experience the Grace of the Father’s love in a real and tangible way. Whether it is my pride, vanity, sensuality or some other sin I committed, when I encounter Christ’s forgiveness, I am healed, renewed, and strengthened for weeks. This Grace of regular Confession has expanded my understanding of Jesus’s mercy and gives me a glimpse of the banquet of eternity awaiting us if we only return to Him in utter surrender again, again, and again.

He has already given us His inheritance of the Kingdom. He is always with us and what is His is ours. Jesus’ story pierces my heart and prompts necessary questions as I am called to deeper conversion this Lent.

Have I squandered away my inheritance of salvation to fulfill selfish desires? Do I succumb to comparison, ingratitude, and pride when I see others receive rewards I feel I deserve? Do you? As we journey to the Triduum and Easter, I invite you to experience the freeing Grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If it has been years since you have gone or a couple of weeks, the Father is longingly awaiting your return so he can embrace you in His loving arms and rejoice with all the angels and Saints - His beloved child is once again safe in His arms.

The banquet feast is ready for you.

Today’s devotion is written by Diana Giard.