SUNDAY ANGELUS ADDRESS – March 6, 2016

In Chapter 15 of Luke’s Gospel, we find three parables of mercy: that of the sheep, that of the coin found, and the great parable of the prodigal son, or rather, the merciful father. It would do us well for each of us to open the Gospel, this Chapter 15 of Luke, and read the three parables. Inside the Lenten itinerary, the Gospel presents to us this last parable of the merciful Father, featuring a father with his two sons. The story makes us understand some features of this father as a man always ready to forgive and to hope against hope. It affects primarily his tolerance before the younger son’s decision to leave home: he could resist, knowing that he is still immature, a young boy, or seek some lawyer to not give him his inheritance, still being alive. Instead, he allows him to leave, having predicted some possible risks. God works with us like this: He lets us be free, even to make mistakes, because in creating us, He has given us the great gift of freedom. It is for us to put it to good use. This gift of freedom that God gives us always amazes me!

But the separation from his son is only physical; for his father always carries him in his heart; confidently, he awaits his return; he scans the road in the hope of seeing him. And one day he sees him appear in the distance. But this means that this father, every day, climbed on the roof to see if his son came back! Then he is moved to see him, he runs toward him, embraces him, kisses him. How much tenderness! And this son had made big errors! But the father welcomes him so.

The same attitude the father also reserves for the eldest son, who has remained at home, and is now indignant and protests because he does not understand and does not share in all that goodwill toward his brother that had wronged. The father comes out also to meet this child and reminds him that they were always together, they share everything, but you have to accept with joy your brother who has finally returned home. And this makes me think of something: When one feels they are a sinner, they feel like they are nothing, as I’ve heard someone say: “Father, I am a little piece of dirt,” and therefore, this is the moment to go to the Father. Instead, when one feels righteous–“I always did the right thing,” equally, the Father comes to seek us, because this attitude of feeling “right,” is evil: it is pride. It comes from the devil. The Father waits for those that recognize themselves sinners and goes to search those who feel themselves “right.” This is our Father!

In this parable, you can also take a glimpse at a third child. A third child? Where? He’s hidden! And it is, “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave.” This Son-Servant is Jesus!

He is the extension of the arms and heart of the Father: He welcomed the prodigal Son and washed his dirty feet; He has prepared the feast for the feast of forgiveness. He, Jesus, teaches us to be “merciful as the Father.”

The figure of the Father in the parable reveals the heart of God. He is the Merciful Father who, in Jesus, loves us beyond all measure, always awaits our conversion every time we wrong; He awaits our return when we turn away from him thinking, we can do without Him; He is always willing to open up His arms no matter what happened. As the Father of the Gospel, God also continues to consider them His children, even when they are lost, and comes to us with tenderness when we return to Him. He speaks to us so kindly when we believe we are right. The errors we commit, even if large, do not scratch away the fidelity of his love. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we can always start out afresh: He welcomes us, gives us the dignity of being His children and tells us: “Go ahead! Be at peace! Get up, go ahead!”

In this stretch of Lent that still separates us from Easter, we are called to intensify the inner journey of conversion. Let us reach by loving gaze of our Father and return to Him with all your heart, rejecting any compromise with sin. May the Virgin Mary accompany us until the regenerating embrace with Divine Mercy.