4th Sunday of Lent

Today’s Gospel (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32) contains the parable of the prodigal son, and it highlights the essential elements of what true forgiveness and reconciliation is all about. In the parable, a man has two sons. One decides to ask for his inheritance, leave home, and have a great time. When all has been spent and he has nothing left, he decides to go back home and beg for forgiveness. The twist in the story is that his father welcomes him back instantly, not caring about what or how he lost everything. In fact, he does not even wait for the son to get back into the house; he goes out to him, welcomes him back, and celebrates his return.

The same can be true for us in our relationship with God. Real reconciliation is about forgiveness and forgetting. God’s unconditional love for us involves his forgiveness and forgetting the sins that we have committed when we express our true sorrow. We are asked to do the same with those who have hurt us and seek our forgiveness as well.

As members of the Body of Christ – the Church – reconciliation is an important part of our lives. Lents affords us the opportunity to be reconciled to God and to one another through forgiveness and forgetting. In doing so, we realize more fully the love of God in our lives. The Gospel parable of the merciful father reveals to us, once again, God’s unconditional love for us. It is a lesson, that perhaps needs more attention as we deal with hurts and disappointments, and the sins and wrongdoings of our lives. In the end, our call is to realize that true reconciliation is not only about forgiving, it is also about forgetting once the forgiveness has taken place, that we might not harbor ill will. Otherwise, have we truly forgiven?