A GOD PRODIGAL IN HIS MERCY
Introduction
When we forgive those who have hurt us, often some scars remain and take a long time to heal. Even if we have not personally suffered from a crime, we cry for blood and vengeance in the name of society. And we don’t treat a released prisoner or a sinner, who has made up for his failure, as if he had done no wrong. But God does. He remains faithful to the love once given. He comes forward both to welcome the returning sinner and to invite the brother or sister who has a hard time to welcome his lost brother or sister to share in the joy of forgiveness and his return.

Opening Prayer
Faithful Father, you are our God
of grace, mercy and forgiveness.
When mercy and pardon
sound paternalistic to modern ears,
make us realize, Lord,
that you challenge us to face ourselves
and to become new people,
responsible for the destiny of ourselves
and for the happiness of others.
Make us responsive to your love
through Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen!

1 Reading: MICAH 7:14-15, 18-20
Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, that dwells apart in a woodland, in the midst of Carmel. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old; As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt, show us wonderful signs. Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, And will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins; You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, As you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.

Responsorial PSALM 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits. R.

He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion. R.

He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes. R.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us. R.

Verse Before the Gospel: LUKE 15:18
Glory and praise to you, oh Christ!
I will get up and go to my father and shall say to him,
Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
Glory and praise to you, oh Christ!

Gospel: LUKE 15:1-3, 11-32
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them Jesus addressed this parable. “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”‘ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'”

Commentary
Judaism taught that God granted his pardon to those who had sincerely repented and expressed their desire to be converted through fasting, penance, torn clothes and prostrations. But the image of God brought to light by Jesus was very different – a God who sets a banquet for those who do not deserve it and invites sinners to his feast without checking if they are repentant. He embraces them without asking any questions.
What prompted the younger son’s return to the father was not repentance but hunger. He tried to survive even by eating what the pigs ate. He would not have returned if anyone had offered him food. Fear of death brings him back. He is willing to be a servant in his father’s house, provided he has food to eat! He might leave again if he identifies a possibility of surviving elsewhere.
But the father does not care whether the son is repentant. He embraces him. Through the parable, Jesus reveals the true face of God, the Father, who loves everyone, always and without conditions. The young boy represents many youngsters of our times. They believe they have no freedom in their own house in the presence of their parents. Many people leave the Church today because the Church has too many rules to follow, and they feel that there is no freedom.
The elder brother follows all the commandments of the father. He attempts to remind the father: “I have not transgressed any command; I have always served you faithfully….” He then makes his complaints to the father, “… but when your son returns….” He refuses to admit that this “son of his father” is also his younger brother! He is the perfect portrait of the scrupulously law-abiding Pharisees, who would say to the Lord in the temple: “I am not like other people, grasping crooked or adulterous. I fast twice a week and give the tenth of all my income” (Lk 18:11-12).
Does he sound familiar? We attend the Sunday Mass without fail, pray the novenas and litanies faithfully, and observe Lent with utmost care. But we refuse to forgive and love that brother or sister who wronged us! Were all these done to obtain some favours from God? Do we get annoyed when people with “lesser” qualifications or so-called “bad reputations” are accepted and recognised in our communities? The eldest son would still go in to attend the banquet for ‘his brother’ because he wants to obey all the commands of the father, but with a grumbling heart. Yet the Father patiently awaits the return of his two sons to celebrate life together.
Are we joining the banquet of the Father because we want to fulfil all the rules and regulations of the Church, but with anger and hatred towards our brethren?

Intentions
– For priests, that in their pastoral of the sacrament of reconciliation, they may learn from the Father to be joyful, patient and uplifting, we pray:
– For those who have not yet learned to forgive, that they may discover the joy and the peace that the feast of forgiveness brings, we pray:
– For those who feel guilty, that they may find the courage to seek forgiveness, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts
God, our Father,
through your Son, Jesus Christ, in this Eucharist,
you come forward to welcome us
to the joy of forgiveness and peace.
May your Son give us the strength
to be merciful as you are,
that we may build up and welcome
rather than condemn and reject,
for we, too, are in need of your pardon
through Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen!

Prayer after Communion
Father in heaven,
your love creates us anew when we have failed.
May our hearts reach out to sinners
and to all those in need
without any condescension.
Keep us carrying out our task
of reconciling and uniting
all races and tongues and social classes
and to build bridges of peace,
that we may go together
toward the joys of your home of welcome.
We ask this through him,
in whose sacrifice of reconciliation we share,
your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!

Blessing
We have to celebrate and rejoice when brothers and sisters of ours had been dead and have come back to life through forgiveness; they were lost and have been found. Rejoice, with the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!