MY daily reflection and prayer:
Saturday, February 27, 2016
The Second Week of Lent
Dear my friends,
Here is the Gospel for us today according to St. Luke 15:1-3,11-32
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable:
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, `Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, `How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.”‘ And he arose and came to his father.
But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, `Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to make merry.
“Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, `Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, `Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!’ And he said to him, `Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'”
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
***
IN today’s Gospel, surely, we do not read about the prodigal son nor about the angry eldest son, but about the best merciful father. And he is our God, the heavenly Father.
God the heavenly Father so loves us his sons and daughters, sacrifices himself for us, and has tremendous hope and fatherly pride in us. He intensely wants us to be happy and seeks what’s best for us.
Above all, God the heavenly Father wants us to respond to his love for us with the same generosity, the same intensity of self-giving. He is so merciful for us. His mercy is his loving concern for each one of us. He desires our wellbeing. He wants to see us happy, full of joy, and peaceful.
In the Perpetual Adoration of the Eucharist, while worshipping Jesus Christ, we learn to turn back to God right now. He is with us right here, right now, waiting for us and pouring out his merciful grace.
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus Christ, you are the face of the heavenly Father’s mercy for us. You ardently long for us to respond to your love, just as the father in the parable must have longed for the return of his son. Forgive us for our lack of love for you. Now we will reject sin once more and turn back to you, confident of your mercy and forgiveness forever and ever. Amen.
Kredit foto: Ilustrasi (Ist)
