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Come and See! |
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Jesus invited his disciples to "come and see," to experience day-to-day life with him. In these brief reflections on the Sunday Scriptures we invite you to do the same.
Come and See!
March 14, 2010: the Fourth Sunday of Lent
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The Word … The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.”… On the day after the Passover, they ate of the produce of the land in the form of unleavened cakes and parched grain…the manna ceased. No longer was there manna for the Israelites, who that year ate of the yield of the land of Canaan. (excerpted from Jos 5:9a, 10-12)
“...‘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. … 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 became angry, (and) said to his father, ‘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.’” (excerpted from Lk 15: 11-32) |
Pondering the Word …
I imagine that some of you reading this have taken a few detours on your faith journey. There are probably those who, like me, have found a way back to their faith via the “doorway” of their children. When my oldest was born, I had him baptized in my faith practice of origin, Catholicism, but it took me several years to get back to regular Mass attendance. The turning point for me was when he celebrated his First Reconciliation. My palms were sweating and stomach was churning as I sat in church, remembering my own dread of confession, waiting for him to emerge from his face-to-face (gasp!) discussion with the priest. The first thing he said to me when he came back to the pew? “That was fun!” And he meant it! I realized then that I must be missing something.
Today is called “Laetare Sunday,” from the Latin word for “rejoice.” It is a sort of midway oasis in our Lenten desert trek that reminds us to look ahead toward our Easter destination. Today’s readings, despite their backdrop of dependence, struggle, sin, and contrition, are really stories of joy—stories of being “a new creation.” In the reading from Joshua, the Jews, looking back in solemn remembrance of the Passover, celebrate their deliverance, finally with the fruits of their own labors. In the Gospel, while it is easy to get stuck in the shame of the prodigal son or the bitterness of the older son, the real message is the pure joy of the father. This is what God intends for us—sorrow for our mistakes, yes, but moving forward, growing up, standing on our own two feet, with the joyful knowledge of his unconditional love and support ever with us.
While I doubt that I will ever look at reconciliation as “fun,” I know now that it truly is cause for celebration!
“We are Easter people and ‘Alleluia’ is our song.”
(St. Augustine)
“Alleluia, we are inadequate!”
Living the Word …
Six of the hardest words in any language are also healing words: “I was wrong. I am sorry.” Six words that can be just as hard, but are the most healing: “It is okay. I forgive you.” Perhaps the reason we find it hard to admit our mistakes is that we know how hard it is to forgive. But the more we practice forgiveness, the more open we are to looking, without judgment, at ourselves and others, and accepting—even embracing—our frail humanity.
If repentance is hard for you, consider how you forgive. Do you find it hard to forgive and therefore doubt you can be forgiven? Take a look at your woundedness and why it is hard for you to forgive. Can you forgive others easily, but not yourself? Stand back and ponder the reasons why. Is your ego getting in the way, that you think you should be better than others? That was part of it for me.
For the past few weeks, I have suggested some books for you to consider. Here’s one more. “The Return of the Prodigal Son,” by Henri Nouwen, is an autobiographical reflection on this story, depicted in a famous painting by Rembrandt. Nouwen shares his personal struggles as the prodigal and as the elder son, but also his coming around to understand his role as the father. It is a wonderful book.
Elaine Ireland has a passion for working with parents and anyone who struggles to maintain a sense of God’s love and peace amid the day-to-day challenges of life. She has a master’s degree in Spiritual and Pastoral Care from the Pastoral Counseling department at Loyola, Maryland, with a focus on developmental psychology and spiritual guidance. Rooted in Ignatian spirituality, she is a writer, retreat and workshop leader, and presenter on topics such as pastoral parenting, “letting go,” and finding the spiritual in the midst of everyday life. She lives in Ellicott City, Maryland with her husband, Mark and children, David and Maggie.
We hope you enjoy "Come and See!" and we welcome your input. Please contact Elaine Ireland at ehireland@loyola.edu with questions, comments, and responses.
© 2009, Elaine H. Ireland - Images@FaithClipart.com
Come and See Archive
Up to 6 weeks of "Come and See!" reflections are saved here. The latest is always listed first.
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