The Prodigal's Father
Monday, March 12, 2007

One thing that struck me when I heard the story of the prodigal son this week, was the forgiveness of the father. The absolute and complete forgiveness.

While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.’

His father seemed to ignore what he had said. He just said "bring a robe". He could have cared less what the son did. His forgiveness was total and complete.

"Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."

God forgives us too. All we have to do is ask.

Posted bypiscotikus at 8:12 PM 1 comments  

The Prodigal Son
Saturday, March 10, 2007

Lk 15:1-3, 11-32

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them Jesus addressed this parable.
“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’
So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
‘How many of my father’s hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.’
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
But when your son returns
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.’”

Commentary to follow...

J + M + J

Posted bypiscotikus at 3:28 PM 0 comments  

Repent and Believe
Thursday, March 08, 2007

J + M + J

Lent is here. We are in the middle of the second week.

How are you doing?

I'm doing ok. Trying to make Mass daily. I'm not fasting as much as I should, and I'm going to try and begin to do better tomorrow. I gave up chocolate, but that just means more sugar cookies.

I've been watching a series by Fr. Corapi; A Lenten Retreat.

In the second hour, he talks about the immorality of America. God will not tolerate our immorality. 9/11 will look like a walk in the park compared to what's coming. We need to wake up as a nation. Allowing abortion on demand will not be tolerated.

We have to have faith. What's faith? Think about that for a second. What is faith? Is faith believing in God? Well, that's a start. But the devil believes in God. So there must be more. The Catechism says, "In faith, the human intellect and will cooperate with divine grace: "Believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the divine truth by command of the will moved by God through grace."" (155).

Faith is assenting to the will of God. Believing is cooperating with the truth that is Jesus Christ.

Repent. Believe. That is the teaching of Christ. (Matt 3:2, 4:17)

Posted bypiscotikus at 7:47 PM 0 comments