Sunday, March 30, 2025
Laetare Jerusalem! (Rejoice, O Jerusalem!) Today, the Church observes Laetare Sunday, marking the midpoint of Lent. Laetare is derived from the Latin word meaning “rejoice.” The call to rejoice reminds us to revel in God’s mercy and love and the joy that awaits at Easter, and it contrasts Lent’s overall penitential nature. The Readings remind us of God’s infinite mercy and promise of redemption, for He is always eager to restore His children. They invite us to reflect on our relationship with Him and the transformative power of His love. In the First Reading from the Book of Joshua, we witness a pivotal moment for the Israelites as they enter the Promised Land. They celebrate the Passover, a reminder of God’s deliverance, and begin to eat from the land, a significant shift from dependence on the manna of God to the fruits of their labor. St. Paul’s message in the Second Reading is one of renewal, “So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.” —2 Corinthians 5:17. He calls us to leave behind our past and embrace a new identity as children of God, to become ambassadors of Christ, sharing His message of love, mercy, and reconciliation with the world.
Our Gospel Reading of the parable of the Prodigal Son is familiar but perhaps troublesome for some. The father of two sons grants his younger one his request for his share of the estate. The younger son collects his inheritance and squanders it on a life of indulgence and excess in a faraway country. The younger son returns to his father’s house when he is in dire need. The father, filled with compassion, embraced and kissed him and ordered his servants to put the finest clothes on him and adorn his finger with a ring. He then follows with a celebratory feast for the return of his younger son. When the older, obedient son learns of his brother’s return and hears music and dancing, he becomes angry and refuses to enter the house to join the celebration. Who blames him? Where is the justice?
If you’re a parent who carefully strives to be equally generous to their children, or if you’re simply a righteous person who sides with fairness and equality, I can see the struggle to understand how this father seemingly favored the younger son over the elder one. If this is how we feel, we are missing the true meaning of this parable. Jesus taught this parable not to illustrate God’s fairness but His generosity. It is a powerful illustration of how the love and mercy of God for His children are unremittingly boundless. This parable also highlights the importance of praying, fasting, and almsgiving, especially in this Lenten Season, by showing us that the younger son, after squandering his inheritance, returned home filled with remorse. Lent is a time for introspection and renewal, a call to return to God and to mend broken relationships with Him and others. Lent calls us to participate in the sacrament of reconciliation. “A sincere confession of sins reawakens his [a man’s] conscience to the regenerating action of God’s grace.” —Pope John Paul II (February 17, 1999).
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord.