Fourth Sunday of Lent – Year C – Laetare Sunday – Mother’s Day – Evening Mass
You might think after hearing about the parable of the Prodigal Son in our Gospel reading, I’ll be talking about mercy and forgiveness. Instead, I’ll be focusing on the message of joy and rejoicing. A joy of a repentant son. Especially the joy that God receives with all the angelic hosts, when a repentant sinner returns home.
In the Gospel, Jesus had a reputation of being with tax collectors and sinners. He calls them to repent, and many of them do change their ways. They are the sick, the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame, who are invited to the banquet meal, and Jesus eats with them joyfully. However, the Pharisees and Scribes object to a fellowship with sinners. They complain and grumble like the Israelites who spent 40 years roaming around the wilderness and were complaining and grumbling against God and Moses.
Jesus defends himself by speaking about the parable of the Prodigal Son. Jesus gives the Pharisees and Scribes an opportunity to overcome their grumbling and to join in with the celebration. Like the father inviting his elder son to come and celebrate the return of his brother. The figure of the compassionate father reveals the mercy of God who desires all his children to come to his heavenly banquet.
A Priests main role is to administer the Sacraments, which is a free gift that Jesus has given to His Church through His Death, Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is such a wonderful and powerful gift. Every time we leave the confessional box we should be jumping and shouting for joy. Rejoicing that our sins have been wiped away, and our souls have returned to the same state of purity as from our own Baptism. God has purified us with his merciful loving kindness, making us whiter than snow.
Please use this wonderful free gift frequently, as it is one of the Sacraments of the Church. God seeks out the sinner and calls us by name. Let us respond faithfully and rejoice in this happiness with God and all his Angels and Saints who are celebrating in the Kingdom of Heaven.
On this fourth Sunday of Lent, it is a day to stop and reflect on the joys of Easter, Jesus being the ‘Light of the World’, gaining ‘New Life’ with Him at His Resurrection. Our Lenten colour of purple has been lightened with the Easter colour of White. So, if we liturgically mix the two colours together, we get today’s colour of Rose.
The only other day in the church’s calendar where we wear Rose is on the 3rd Sunday of Advent, because we are ‘Joyful’ once again, as we are nearing the big festive celebrations.
Jesus is our Salvation. He is the source of our light and our hope. He has made us beacons of His wonderful Divine light. A light that has been entrusted to us to be kept burning brightly, setting an example for others to follow, as we lead good Christian lives.
This weekend, as we all know is Mothering Sunday. A time for Mothers and Grandmothers to relax from their duties and to get pampered. So, Fathers, Sons and Daughters, get your aprons on and prepare the evening meal, with a nice bottle of wine. Mothers, may you enjoy the rest of the evening that still remains, with your feet up and a glass in hand.
Today is definitely a day for rejoicing, because like our Mothers who have unconditional love for their children, Our Heavenly Father loves us unconditionally too, a love that lasts for eternity.
Rev. Fr Philip Wrigley's Blog 