Fourth Sunday Year C
Joshua 5:9,10-12, 2 Cor 5:17-21, Luke 15:1-3,11-32
We are entering the second part of Lent. In the first part, the liturgy underscored almsgiving, prayer and fasting.
The first reading offers a picture of the Israelites arrival in the promise land after the desert wandering. To mark the occasion, the author speaks about the Israelites celebration for the first time in their own land, the feast of freedom.
This passage reminds us that God’s deliverance brings us into new seasons of life, where we must leave behind the past and embrace His blessings in the present.
Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 have a deep meaning here: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” Just as the Israelites entered a new life in the Promised Land, we are invited into reconciliation and renewal through Christ. God calls us not just to experience this transformation but to live as ambassadors of His grace, extending reconciliation to others. For Paul, it was a question of welcoming home all who sought forgiveness.
Finally, the parable of the Prodigal Son brings this theme of renewal to a climax. The father’s lavish love and forgiveness echo God’s boundless mercy toward us. Whether we identify with the wayward son or the resentful elder brother, we are reminded that God’s arms are always open, inviting us to come home and rejoice in His grace.
These readings call us to reflect: Where do we need to embrace God’s newness in our lives? Are we carrying the weight of old reproaches, failing to taste the joy of His promises? Let us open our hearts to His reconciliation and respond by being vessels of His love to others.
Fr. Alex Osei
SSC-USA Spiritual Director