​​​​​Holy Infant Catholic Church

Father Michaels Weekly Thoughts 

WEEKLY THOUGHTS FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT MARCH 30th, 2025.

Dear friends, welcome to the celebration of the Fourth Sunday of Lent. This Sunday is also known as Gaudete or rejoicing Sunday. The Israelites rejoiced as they celebrated the first Passover in the Promised land. The Gospel Reading taken from Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32 gives us the loving and merciful father celebrating the return of the erroring or prodigal son or even the lost son.

The parable of the lost son is under the background of two parables Jesus had used to teach the people about the joy of God in heaven for the lost and found: the lost coin and the lost sheep. There is great rejoicing in both and even greater rejoicing by the father at the return of his lost and found son.

Jesus taught these parables as he was teaching about God’ mercy and love. The Pharisees and Scribes taught that sinners required ritual cleansing before sharing the fellowship table. Yet Jesus reached out to the sinners and required from them a change of heart to embrace conversion as in the case of the call of Matthew the tax collector.

While the Father celebrates the return of his son, the elder son is angry and refuses to join in the celebration or rejoicing at the home. He gets lost in anger and resentment. Hence both sons become lost. Indeed, the behavior of the elder son is contrary to the nature of the Father. He is ignorant of the nature of his father, loving, merciful and forgiving. 

This parable describes God’s goodness, grace, mercy and his abundant love towards us. Let us make effort to return to the father as we seek reconciliation.

Have a great week and God bless.

​

​