St. Mary's Catholic Church of Tomahawk, WI

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

We are in the fourth week of Lent. The first reading tells us about the celebration of the Passover by the Israelites once they entered the promised land. Once they started to eat the produce of the land, manna ceased. God’s care continues by reinstating covenantal practices. During this Lent, like the renewal of the Passover ritual by Israelites, during this Lent, let us renew our fidelity to the commandments, teachings and the new covenantal commitment to the Lord, through sincere love for God and others.

The second reading is an invitation from God with the message and mission of reconciliation. We are called to a new life which is possible only through the reconciliation between human beings and God that was brought about by Christ through His death on the Cross. Sharing this message of reconciliation is the mission given to us, by which the community gets transformed into a new creation. This ministry entails sharing the Good News of Christ with others as we are His ambassadors. How do we try to respond to the message and mission of reconciliation during this Lenten season?

The gospel tells us a well-known parable of the prodigal son. In this parable, though the primary focus is on the actions of the father, it is also for us to reflect on the son. The younger son departs from the father seeking the share of his property. But the father remains vigilant for the return of his son. Eventually the younger son returns, having lost everything, to be a servant. But the extravagant behavior of the father with a warm welcome restores him to a full relationship with his father. In this Lent, are we willing and ready to repent and return to the Lord to restore our relationship with a renewed spirit?

Fr. Aloysius Royan Anthony