31 March 2019. (4º TCC)
This Sunday’s gospel cannot leave us indifferent. Jesus tells us the parable known as the “prodigal son”. He used it on an occasion when he was accused of eating with publicans and sinners, and so that we would understand how God, our Father, loves and forgives us.
The father appears to be an admirable, liberal, open person who gives his son a margin of trust and allows him to leave home. But, despite his bad attitude, he does not lose the hope of his coming back and he goes out to meet him with open arms and organizes a party.
This son is inexperienced and an adventurer. He believed that life is as easy as in his father’s house. He wasted and squandered all until he lost his human dignity. Only in such an extreme situation did he recognize his guilt and determine to return home. You can’t imagine the reaction of his father.
He has a brother, who is considered to be just and compliant, but he does not join in the joy of his father. He is jealous and does not want to acknowledge his brother: “That son of yours…” He then becomes the prosecutor and accuser of his brother.
Three attitudes invite us to reflect. Although there are other possible ones: those who decide not to return to the love of the Father because of their distrust of his attitude. That of those who, even though feeling sinners, are not able to accept the attitude and he is branded as a hypocrite. And surely there are as many attitudes as there are of us. But over and above any attitude, the love of God who forgives and accepts, and who calls us continually to feel his joy at “he who was dead and has come to life again.”
We want to be able to participate in “the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents”.
Juan Ramon Gomez Pascual, cmf
