Church Teachings - Mar. 14, 10. Forth Sunday of Lent

Second Reading:
17 Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Joshua 5:9, 10-12

This Sunday's teaching is all about reconciliation and the renewal of the relationship with God. For God has loved us so dearly that not only does He forgive, but He also went an extra step to send His only son Jesus Christ on earth so he may complete God's plan for fully reconciled with us from the original sins we bore.

Gospel:
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." 3 So he told them this parable: 11 And he said, "There was a man who had two sons; 12 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. 13 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. 14 And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. 15 So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. 17 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! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants."' 20 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. 21 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.' 22 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; 23 and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; 24 for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry. 25 "Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. 27 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.' 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 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. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' 31 And he said to him, `Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
Luke 15: 1 - 3, 11 - 32

This week's Gospel is the well known "Parable of the Prodigal Son". Basically, what this story about is there's this son asking his father for half of his wealth and property, as if his father is "dead", he sold all of the stuff, got the money, left home, spent it all up, went to some sketchy towns and ended up as bum. While he found a job working in a farm feeding pigs, he now remembered how even his father's servants would have bread to feed themselves, but he is right here, hungry and not even have enough to get what the pigs are eating. He decided to go back to his father, and ask him to let him become one of his servants because he no longer fits to be his son and he should be his servants to repent his sins.

The second half of the story is kind of unexpected, one would think the father will condemn the son and punish him. Instead, the father welcomes this son of his, killed a fat calf, not just any calf and cook it and host a feast to celebrate his return. Now that the older son, who has been in the home since forever, helping his father becomes jealous and stated his anger towards his father unfairness - for all his life, he has been obeying and he has not even get a lamb as a feast! His father then reason: "Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found."

It's not like the second son did well because he turned away from his father all these years, but because he was renewed, he reconciled and "he was lost, and is found.". This is not to encourage all of us to do this so we get better reward than the elder son seems to get. But this is to encourage us to never be afraid to go back to God's arms.

This parable should be called "The Parable of the Generous and Forgiving Father" instead of "The Parable of the Prodigal Son" because this parable's main character should be the father - God. God's love contains everything we do - good or bad. No matter what we asked for, he gives us - like how this father gave his son half of his property with no question asked. No matter what we have done - in this case, the son went so lowly as to being a pig feeder (which Israelis despairs because they don't eat pig, only roman soldiers eat them), he welcomes us - in here, killed a fat calf and host a feast (a fat calf , any calf raising in the desert at the Bible time is extremely valuable, and it would take many good grass to feed a calf to be fat), he forgives us unconditionally, he eagerly awaits for us to return - in this case, "run" towards the son when the son comes home, instead of the son running towards the father. This is a parable of the ever loving father who loves his sons so dearly, the rebellious and also the obedience older son - he stated to the obedience older son "Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours." (At the culture in the time, the older son always get all of the father's belongings after the father deceased), so this is also a parable of how God's kingdom is all ours, as He had promised. If you are willing to open your heart and let God's in, follow His path you will get all of the things that you ever need, there will be always enough for you, all of everything will be yours.

Don't be afraid to admit your sins, don't be afraid to reconcile with God, for Him forgives you always and not only will He not punish you, but He eagerly awaits you to run to Him. He wants the best for us only always.