Lenten Reflection: Lost and Found 

“What About Me” was a popular song by the rock band ‘Moving Pictures’ back in the early ‘80s. The title would have been a good description of the feelings of the righteous who could not reconcile Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners while they observed the law and yet seemed to be on the outside. What about me? What about us? As always, it helps to situate the Gospel. Today’s Gospel of the so-called Prodigal Son follows two parables that also address the apparent reckless hospitality of God. The first speaks of a shepherd leaving the ninety-nine sheep in search of the lost one. The second is of a woman who ransacks her house in search of a lost coin. Today, we see a father defy convention and, moved with compassion ‘deep in his guts’, welcome home a son who had as good as wished him dead. “In the culture of the time, for a middle-aged man of means to run in public, to display extravagant signs of affection to a son who had caused the family disgrace is foolish behaviour in the utmost degree – as the older brother will soon so “reasonably“ point out" (Brendan Byrne). The father puts on a big party to which all are invited. The older son and all righteous folk to whom the parable is addressed have a problem with this. Mary Coloe, Scripture scholar and Religious Sister of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, points out they have missed the point. “The older son has been living a sterile life, not really in relationship with his father. He had been like a ‘slave’, and he distances himself from his father and his brother – ‘this son of yours’. Even though he stayed at home, his relationships are dead. It is the younger son who discovers a living and loving father when he knows he doesn’t deserve one,” Byrne insists, “and that is the real bite of the parable. Are you inside with the younger brother joining in the celebration of God’s mercy, or does anger and resentment keep you stamping your foot with the older son outside? Like so many of Jesus’ parables, this is one basically saying, “Come to the feast”. The only blockage is what may lie, unconverted, in your heart.” That is true, but I would suggest that we are both variously sons. As Pilgrims of Hope in this Jubilee Year, the call of Lent is away from self-sufficiency to awareness of and the sharing of God’s compassion. 

Holy Week-Easter Timetable

The Chrism Mass or Mass of the Oils will be celebrated at St Christopher’s Cathedral, 5:00pm, Monday, 14 April.

The Regional Second Rite of Reconciliation will be celebrated at St. Matthew’s, 7:00pm, Tuesday, 15 April.

The Holy Thursday Commemoration of the Lord’s Supper will be celebrated at St Vincent’s, 7:00pm, Thursday, 17 April.

The Good Friday Stations of the Cross will be celebrated at St Matthew’s at 10:30am, Friday, 18 April, and the Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion will follow at 3:00pm at St Vincent’s.

The Easter Vigil will commence at 7:00pm, Saturday, 19 April, with the lighting of the Easter fire outside St Vincent’s.

Easter Sunday Masses, 20 April will be 8:30am at St Matthew’s and 10:00am at St Vincent’s.

 Fr John

South Belconnen Parish Priest