Saturday of the Second Week of Lent
Readings for Saturday of the Second Week of Lent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 Mic 7:14-15, 18-20
This is the very end of the Book of the Prophet Micah. In the previous chapters he has chastised and condemned the excesses and corruption of Jerusalem and Samaria (rich exploiters of the poor, fraudulent merchants, venal judges, corrupt priests and prophets). Now at the end, he presents the Lord’s forgiveness and mercy to those who return to him.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Continuing the theme of forgiveness, Psalm 103 is a song of praise to God for his mercy. It recognizes both God’s mercy and our need, as sinners, for it.
Gospel Lk 15:1-3, 11-32
The topic of repentance and forgiveness comes to a climax with St. Luke’s Parable of the Prodigal Son. The imagery is instantly clear that this is to be an analogy. The father in the story represents God and the Prodigal Son us, if we repent our sins. Interestingly, the older brother is also us when we do not forgive those who have also sinned.
Reflection:
Today we are asked, by scripture, to reflect upon one of the three major themes of Lent, repentance and forgiveness. It has been said that we, as Catholics, mourn our faith. Those who say such things were probably looking only at this facet of our journey. Because reflection, contrition, and confession are one of the most difficult parts of our faith tradition, many of the sects that have formed since the schism that was the “Reformation” have chosen not to incorporate that deep self evaluation into their practices.
I recall many years ago I was working with a very avid Southern Baptist. When I told him that I had given something up for lent in the course of discussing lunch one day, he responded: “We don’t believe in lent. It’s not biblical.”
I probably could have done a better job of explaining that Lent is not only biblical but compulsory for the Christian who would try to follow the Lord. I was in my late 20’s or early 30’s and had not even started formation for the Diaconate. But I know I scored enough points to give him pause. He never challenged me on faith again.
The message we take away from the scripture today is both personal and communal. First, we recognize that God loves us, not only in spite of our sins, but including our sins. He accepts that, while we fall and rise, fall and rise, we are trying to get to him and for that we receive his mercy.
The Prodigal Son was not welcomed home and then punished. He was not welcomed home and then put to work as a servant. He was welcomed home by a loving embrace that spoke of unconditional acceptance.
As we said in the commentary, the story casts us in the role of that returning son. We are accepted home and loved by the Heavenly Father when we repent and return. But, we are also cast in the role of the faithful older brother who is jealous because he had never seen the intense love His Father had for him. Our daily gift is that, when we are faithful, we bask in the Father’s love. We forget that sometimes and it is only when we fall that we fell the Father’s strong arms lift us up.
Another hard part for us in this continuing role of the “Older Brother” is that we are chided too, like he was by his father; “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.” We are asked to embrace those who have wronged us, rejoice because they have turned away from actions that have harmed us. We are asked to be merciful as God our Father is merciful.
Let’s pray today for both forgiveness and strength to forgive.
Pax
Readings for Saturday of the Second Week of Lent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 Mic 7:14-15, 18-20
This is the very end of the Book of the Prophet Micah. In the previous chapters he has chastised and condemned the excesses and corruption of Jerusalem and Samaria (rich exploiters of the poor, fraudulent merchants, venal judges, corrupt priests and prophets). Now at the end, he presents the Lord’s forgiveness and mercy to those who return to him.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Continuing the theme of forgiveness, Psalm 103 is a song of praise to God for his mercy. It recognizes both God’s mercy and our need, as sinners, for it.
Gospel Lk 15:1-3, 11-32
The topic of repentance and forgiveness comes to a climax with St. Luke’s Parable of the Prodigal Son. The imagery is instantly clear that this is to be an analogy. The father in the story represents God and the Prodigal Son us, if we repent our sins. Interestingly, the older brother is also us when we do not forgive those who have also sinned.
Reflection:
Today we are asked, by scripture, to reflect upon one of the three major themes of Lent, repentance and forgiveness. It has been said that we, as Catholics, mourn our faith. Those who say such things were probably looking only at this facet of our journey. Because reflection, contrition, and confession are one of the most difficult parts of our faith tradition, many of the sects that have formed since the schism that was the “Reformation” have chosen not to incorporate that deep self evaluation into their practices.
I recall many years ago I was working with a very avid Southern Baptist. When I told him that I had given something up for lent in the course of discussing lunch one day, he responded: “We don’t believe in lent. It’s not biblical.”
I probably could have done a better job of explaining that Lent is not only biblical but compulsory for the Christian who would try to follow the Lord. I was in my late 20’s or early 30’s and had not even started formation for the Diaconate. But I know I scored enough points to give him pause. He never challenged me on faith again.
The message we take away from the scripture today is both personal and communal. First, we recognize that God loves us, not only in spite of our sins, but including our sins. He accepts that, while we fall and rise, fall and rise, we are trying to get to him and for that we receive his mercy.
The Prodigal Son was not welcomed home and then punished. He was not welcomed home and then put to work as a servant. He was welcomed home by a loving embrace that spoke of unconditional acceptance.
As we said in the commentary, the story casts us in the role of that returning son. We are accepted home and loved by the Heavenly Father when we repent and return. But, we are also cast in the role of the faithful older brother who is jealous because he had never seen the intense love His Father had for him. Our daily gift is that, when we are faithful, we bask in the Father’s love. We forget that sometimes and it is only when we fall that we fell the Father’s strong arms lift us up.
Another hard part for us in this continuing role of the “Older Brother” is that we are chided too, like he was by his father; “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.” We are asked to embrace those who have wronged us, rejoice because they have turned away from actions that have harmed us. We are asked to be merciful as God our Father is merciful.
Let’s pray today for both forgiveness and strength to forgive.
Pax
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