The parable of the lost son

It is now the fourth Sunday of Lent, which is called “Gaudete Sunday” which means “Rejoice”. This was something I discussed with Fr. Lucas Inoc, my partner in our catechism show on channel 30 and I learned that there are two Gaudete Sundays in the Church Liturgy; the fourth Sunday of Advent and today. While we all look up to Lent as the time for the Passion and Death of Jesus, the Church teaches the faithful to also rejoice for the death of our Lord. Death doesn’t mean the end of his life, as he resurrects on the third day, which returns humanity to our Paradise lost by our first parents Adam and Eve. Our gospel reading comes from Luke 15:1-3,11-32 on the parable of the prodigal son.

1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then Jesus told them this parable:

11 There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.

14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’

20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Fa-ther, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

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I have no doubt that this parable is something Christians know by heart so I need not explain this to our readers. However the most important thing to remember is the father in this parable resembles God. Just read the parable, while the son has memorized how to confess to his father, when the father caught sight of the son, he already forgave him. So I suggest you should go to confession because before you even confessed, God the Father already forgave you.