Dear Spirit, Unite us like you united the father and son who were prodigal in their love for one another. Jesus tells the story of their love because the Pharisees are complaining, “This man welcomes sinners.” When Jesus shares communion with outcasts – as he tells of the prodigals son’s father sharing communion with his son, he is breaking society’s divisive laws. We all start out together in our one shared home of humanity. Over time we set our desires on that which takes us away from keeping that communion. At a certain point, it may not be the worst point of our lives, but there comes a point in which we have an experience of wisdom, insight. We face the truth of how we have drifted and lost touch, with ourselves and others. We realize we are out of communion with those who most care about us. We ponder a return. We ask ourselves, ‘How did I miss the love that was always there?’ We decide upon a return and hope we will be received. Let us not miss the courage it takes to make that decision and follow through with it. It is courage that moves us to reconnect. It is courage that nurtures communion. It is the courage of the father to move toward communion with his son – even interrupting his confession. It is the courage of Jesus to move toward communion with those who are outcast. It is our courage that keeps us moving toward communion with those who have wandered far from home, be it our own family home or the home that is our human family.
Prayer: Beautiful Spirit, Unite us in a communion of love.
Question: With whom do I struggle to be in communion?
March 30, 2025 Gospel Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Fourth Sunday of Lent