Every day of Lent, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Today’s Gospel is the famous parable of the Prodigal Son.
This youngest son was really a piece of work. He basically said that he could not wait for his dad to die: “Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.” He wanted his inheritance ahead of time. How did this make his dad feel?
Jesus uses this parable as an analogy of our sometimes-rocky relationship with God. We are not always faithful to God; we are not always responsible with the love God gives to us; sometimes we squander the blessing that is our inheritance. We spend ourselves in sinful behavior whenever we do anything that takes us away from God. But God gives each of us a conscience to wake us up and help us to realize when we have drifted.
Take the time to examine where you are in your own walk with God. Are you at home in the house of the Lord? Are you moving away from Him? Are you lost? Do you need to return home?
No matter where you are, God wants you to be with Him. If you are at home with God, enjoy the Eucharist as a reminder that you are seated at the Father’s table. And if you are far away, just turn and start walking back toward God. God will make up the distance by running to you. Remember the father in the parable didn’t wait for his son to come back and grovel; no, when he saw his son making his way back home on the horizon, the father ran to meet him. And, if you have been away for a while, when you return and encounter your Heavenly Father’s desire for you to be with Him, the banquet of the Eucharist that he throws for you will be oh, so good!