March 10, 2013
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Diocesan Youth Rally----Theme: “You.Only.Live.Once….Really?”
Hosted at Lake Michigan Catholic School in St. Joseph
(The following homily was given at the closing Mass for the Diocesan Youth Rally at which more
than 300 middle and high school youth and adult chaperones participated.)
We are all very familiar with this Gospel parable of the “Prodigal Son.” The word “prodigal”
has two definitions: “to be recklessly extravagant,” or “to be incredibly wasteful.” We are well
aware that the three main characters in the parable are the younger son, who was very
prodigal----incredibly wasteful, the elder son, who was very resentful, and the father, who was
also rather prodigal, in the sense of being “recklessly extravagant.” Of course, the main point of
this parable is really to tell us how much God loves us.
This parable is one of three in the 15th chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel---a chapter that focuses
on “God’s Abundant Mercy.” There were two other brief parables in this same chapter that
Jesus told before He told this one, and all three were told for the same reason: because the
Pharisees and Scribes were criticizing Jesus for spending time with the tax collectors and
sinners. They made what they thought was a terrible accusation: “He welcomes sinners and
eats with them”---when in reality, that was quite a compliment. Jesus told these parables to try
to help the Pharisees to understand why He was associating with sinners---that, in fact, His
entire mission was to bring forgiveness for sins and salvation to the world. Each of the parables
was about something precious that was lost, how it was found, and the joy that results. The first
parable was about the Lost Sheep, and how the Good Shepherd would leave the 99 to go and
find the one that was lost. The second parable was about the “Lost Coin,” and how the woman
turned her house upside down until she found it. And of course this parable, the third one in
Chapter 15, is about the lost son.
Have any of you here ever been lost? Perhaps as a little child, did you ever get away from
your parents, or your older siblings? Can you remember the fear, the complete sense of not
knowing what to do? Sometimes we can be lost and not even know we’re lost.
The younger son in today’s parable was lost, but he thought he was really being daring--bold---adventurous. .In actuality he was extremely hurtful-----selfish----arrogant-----and did not
even know he was. It wasn’t until he realized that he was “dying from hunger” that he realized
how lost he was, and that’s when he began to be found. That’s when he began “coming to his
senses...” and he got the incentive to go back to ask forgiveness. And so he began rehearsing
his apology, and then started to return to his father. All the while, the father has been watching,
waiting, praying, longing every day----out at the edge of their property, scanning the horizon,
hoping that his son would return. So when the younger son arrived home, the father wouldn’t
even let him get his apology out. He “ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.” He called
for a party; they went in and rejoiced/celebrated.
The elder son was also lost, and he didn’t know it either. The difference between the two is
that the elder son did not come to his senses. The loving father also came out to plead with his
elder son, to reason with him, to reassure him. We don’t know whether the elder son ever
came to his senses or not.
Dear young sisters and brothers in Christ, we can all relate to this parable, can’t we?
Even
if we’ve never done anything as stupid as the younger son did, we’ve all done our share of
stupid things----we’ve all “lost our senses” to one degree or another. We call those times ---times when we’ve sinned. A good definition of sin might be that it’s when we know what’s right
and good and true, and yet we choose to do what’s wrong and bad and destructive to our wellbeing, and that of others. We hope and pray that we can always choose to be more like the
younger son than the elder son, in the sense that we choose to “come to our senses,” rather
than to stay entrenched in our sins.
As middle and high school students, we pray that you will find that unconditional love and
acceptance for who you are in your family----from your own parents----and that you can be
assured that no matter what stupid things you do, they will always love you. But beyond that
great gift of the love of our family, it is in our faith that we know that we absolutely find that
unconditional love from God in the Church. Of course, our goal in life is to try not to make the
stupid, selfish, or arrogant choices. Our goal in this life should always be to choose God’s
ways---because God always leads us to Truth and ultimate happiness.
In today’s Second Reading, St. Paul puts it so powerfully: “We are ambassadors for Christ,
as if God were appealing through us.” Can you imagine that?! God wants us to be His
ambassadors.
We join with the entire Church in praying for the Cardinals right now. They have an
extremely important challenge to select the next Holy Father to be the Vicar of Christ on Earth--
-to be the Shepherd of the entire Universal Catholic Church! We know that the Holy Spirit is
going to guide them, and work through them, to make the right choice.
Well, it is that same Holy Spirit Who wants to work through each of us----to inspire us and
lead us to be “ambassadors” for Christ---to be His Witnesses. We need to do what St. Paul
“implores” us to do--- to: “be reconciled to God.” We have such a powerful and wonderful
Sacrament for that---the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation.
The younger son in today’s parable finally came to his senses because he found that he
was “dying from hunger.” Well, there is a “hunger” inside each of us as well---a “hunger” that
will only be satisfied when we are “reconciled to God”---a “hunger” for us to be “one with God”--when we are living our lives in the “ways of God.” And, dear friends, this (the altar) is where we
satisfy that “hunger.” In just a few moments we will come forward to receive the Body and
Blood of Christ---to be fed with that spiritual food and drink---the Holy Eucharist that keeps us
strong, and keeps us “coming to our senses” in terms of how we choose to live this precious gift
of life that God has given to each of us. The Psalm Response for today’s Mass so beautifully
reminds us: “Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord!”
I hope and pray that through this annual youth rally---through this day when you’ve thought
about the precious gift of life that God has given to each of you---that, if, or when, you get “lost”---if, or when, you make some stupid or sinful choices----that you will immediately “come to your
senses,” and come running back “to be reconciled” with your Father through the Sacrament of
Reconciliation; that you will “taste and see the goodness of the Lord” through the Sacrament of
the Holy Eucharist. That is why it is so important for us to stay strong in our faith, and to remain
a vibrant member of the Body of Christ and an active part of the life of the Church----a living,
vibrant “leaf” on the Tree of Faith.
Our loving and extravagant Father is always looking for us and longing to be One with us--to embrace us, kiss us, and invite us into the Celebration where we will always Rejoice--because we are Home where we belong!
God bless you, now and always!
Faithfully yours in Christ,
+ Bishop Paul J. Bradley