4TH SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR C: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH
(Luke 15:1–3.11–32)
Today is the 4th Sunday of Lent. The Holy Mother Church bids us: Rejoice! The Lenten period, as we know, is a long period of mourning, sitting in ashes, wailing for our sins. It is a time we heed the voice: “Oh come and mourn with me a while, see Mary calls us to her side oh come and let us mourn with her Jesus our love is crucified.”
But the Lent is not yet over, the period continues, the journey is still on. Yet the Church resounds: “Rejoice” and also “ Be joyful”. These words from Isaiah 66:10–11 that serve as the entrance antiphon of today give today its name ‘Laetare Sunday’.
It was addressed to Jerusalem as a mother by the lovers of Jerusalem and by those who mourn for her destruction.
It was addressed to those who have nearly lost hope in the mercy of God. It was addressed to wanderers who have wandered away from the mountain top. It is a message of hope to those plunged into the disgrace of sin and shame. The message points out to us the source of contentment. The good news is for the consolation and healing of those bruised by the falls along the way to heaven. It is a reminder for us that “it is not an easy road we are travelling to heaven…” We should be happy that Jesus walks with us to brighten the journey and lighten every heavy load. It is a limp, showing us to look forward. It is not going to end in humiliation and suffering. We shall rise! We shall be repositioned! God will reinstate us! We shall not end in prodigality.
The prodigal son left his father’s joy with a fake joy, but he came to his senses and was strengthened by hope as he journeyed back home.
To really rejoice in the Lord, let us be where God wants us to be, make good use of the opportunities He gives us daily, and be at home with the things of God. In order to rejoice with Him in our everlasting home in heaven.
Let’s see some of the keys to the Easter rejoicing we should look up to as we continue drawing nearer to our jubilation in the risen Christ.
VALUE WHAT YOU HAVE
The father of the prodigal son in the parable loved the son tenderly. Some theologians have described God’s compassionate love here as the love of a mother. Here, God acts like a loving mother, loving with tenderness. In the house, the prodigal son had all he wanted; servants, food, and inheritance. Over and above all, he had a lot of opportunities at his beck and call. But he mismanaged and misused these.
Let us value this period and the grace God offers us through it. Let us value the opportunity of calling God our Loving Father. Let us appreciate the opportunities of forgiving people, showing little acts of kindness, making God happy, and remaining in the presence of God.
BE WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED
The son had a comfortable place in the house, but he chose to become a gallivant, a wanderer, a squanderer. He moved out and made away with his God-given grace and wealth. Are there prodigal fathers and mothers in our world today? When you fail to give your family the attention they crave for, you are a prodigal father in the negative sense, when you lavish your resources on women outside abandoning your wife and children, you are a prodigal father. When you are happier outside your family house than in your home, something is wrong with you.
Are you a prodigal mother? When you stop being ‘odoziaku’ and take up ‘origbudiya nke mbu’ as a title, then go for check-up. When you’re away from your children and husband, giving them less care and love, you are a prodigal woman. When you do not give to your children the good example they ought to follow, you’re spoiling not just wealth but life.
When you cannot stay at a place and enjoy your family and allow them to enjoy you, you are a pain to God. If you are a husband snatcher, you are prodigal.
Are there prodigal young men and women? Yes! If you as a student cannot stay in your hostel without running from one place to another, you are prodigal. If you are working and can’t take care of your poor people at home, you’re a prodigal child. If all you care about is money by any means, you’re a prodigal child. If you can kill your parents and anyone at all for money, you are a prodigal child. If you wait to spend your money at the funeral of your parents, you are highly prodigal.
Just be good and you will have a course to rejoice.
Are you a prodigal politician wasting the resources of those you are serving? Return to your senses before it becomes too late for you. Are you a prodigal Christian? Go back to the drawing board.
You have been planted through baptism in the Church. You’re called upon to remain in the Church, not to wander away in sin and sell your soul to the devil and cares of this world. Blossom in grace. No matter the challenge you’re going through, let the joy of the Lord strengthen you to journey on with the Lord. No condition should justify your giving the enemy a try. Don’t allow any force to transplant you from where God has planted you. You’re not a seed of corruption. You are a heavenly seed!
RETURN TO THE LORD
God waits. He walks towards you. He comes to you through the sacrament of reconciliation. He calls upon you through the word of God. Come to your senses first and stop suffering your soul in pretence that all is well with you. Don’t enjoy the bondage of the evil one, and don’t allow him to steal your joy and peace of soul. The word of God tells us what the enemy comes to do: to steal, kill, and destroy.
May the peace of God you enjoy never be stolen. May you rejoice in the forgiving power of God as you decide to rise.
GO BACK TO YOUR HOME
Going back to your home means a lot. The home is a place of reunion, a place of rest, a place of true peace. When you go back to your home you find out the plight of the people you left. You feel the pain you must have caused by your irresponsibility. You discover the pain you have caused your loving God. Kneel there and ask for mercy. Make your home a home indeed. Make it a place of prayer. Let the message of Christ make its home within you this season. As you go to God, who comes to you through the sacred mysteries of this Holy season, open your arms to Divine embrace.
Become an evangelist. Bring Christ’s joy to your families. Make your children lovers of God. Make your parents friends of God. Take the joy of repentance and salvation to your offices. As God welcomes each and every one of us back from our wonderland, may we welcome Him in the home that is our soul and remain in the joy of being called the children of God.
May God bless His word in our hearts.
LET US PRAY
We pray You almighty God to continue to strengthen us by the power of Your word. Draw us closer and closer to You. Deliver us from spiritual laziness and moral decadence. Give us grace to live in holiness, making our lives abodes of the Holy Spirit that united with Christ we may live and reign in heaven after our earthly sojourn forever and ever. Amen
Happy Sunday to you (4th Sunday of Lent)
Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh
