Evangelical Reflections - Saturday of the 2nd Week of Lent - March 6, 2021

March 6, 2021

Saturday of the 2nd week of Lent


Ah, the Prodigal Son. I’m sure we have all heard this story so many times throughout our lives. I used to tune out after awhile of hearing this story time after time, but as I’ve drawn closer to God and He has brought my heart closer to Scripture, I’ve been able to see this story in new ways every time I read it.

Jesus gives us enough detail in this parable that we can look at each character and see what He is trying to tell us about Himself and us. Again, the story is known as “The Prodigal Son” but it could also be called “The Loving Father”.

We’re not sure of all of the reasons that the younger son goes to his father to ask for his inheritance early (which in that time was basically telling your father that you wished he were dead), but the father’s reaction is one of patience and kindness. He does not lash out at his son, he allows him to take the money and leave. I’m sure the father’s heart is broken. He loves his son but he respects his free will.

The son goes off and wastes his money and is quickly living in poverty. He decides to come back home to his father. The story tells us that “while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and ran to him”. “While the son was still a long way off”… for the father to have seen his son from far away must have meant that he was looking for him. He was probably waiting, praying, hoping that his son would return home. When he embraces his son, the son can hardly get a word of apology out before his father calls the servants to throw a party. He is so happy that his son is home. There is no guilt trip laid on him, nothing but pure love and joy.

In this parable, Jesus is trying to show us that this is exactly how God the Father sees each one of us. When we sin and turn our back on God, we are the Prodigal Son, telling our Father that we want to go and do things our own way. When we return, when we ask for forgiveness, especially in the sacrament of Reconciliation, God is not putting us on a guilt trip; He has been looking and waiting every day for us to come back to Him. And when we do, even if we are a long way off, He runs to us and embraces us. He is so happy that we are home.

Let us run back to the Father today. If you have been away from the sacrament of Reconciliation or the Church for a long time, do not worry or fear. God the perfect Father is waiting for you. All He has is love in His eyes and He longs to embrace you and celebrate you. Come home to Him. Allow Him to love you.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Seventh Sunday of Easter

By John Putnam • May 30, 2025
On this Feast of the Ascension, we celebrate Christ’s triumphant return to the Father after perfectly accomplishing His mission on earth. But we also can also view this Feast as a celebration of the “launch day” of our commissioning as Christ’s disciples. Today’s Gospel draws our attention to the clear instructions that Jesus gave His disciples (and to us) just before ascending to the Father: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things." Embracing a stewardship way of life, with its emphasis on the use of time, talent and treasure, helps us to live in such a way that our very lives speak as a witness of the Good News of the Gospel. While we take time to reflect and renew our commitments in these three areas annually as a parish family, it is of great benefit to take some time individually throughout the year to take stock of the commitments we have made — looking at both our strengths and our need for continued growth in each area. On this Feast of our "launch day," take some time to celebrate your victories as Christ’s disciples and renew your commitment to remain faithful to Him and the unique mission He has entrusted to you! © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering In Matthew 28:20 Jesus reminds the apostles, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” I have always taken great strength and consolation from these words. They are foreshadowed in the Old Testament in Isaiah 41:20: “Fear not for I am with you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand.” These are words from a God who loves us and who desires our good. A God who desires to make His dwelling with us and to inspire us to live lives worthy of Himself. They are words that help us prepare ourselves to celebrate Pentecost and to be open to the work of the Holy Spirit in us and among us.  Next Saturday evening, we will celebrate the Rite of Confirmation and Reception into Full Communion with our candidates who have been participating in the OCIA process. Please keep them in your prayers and help them find their place within our parish community. In the morning next Saturday, we are privileged to host the diaconate ordination for seven of our diocesan seminarians. As noted previously, one of them, Michael Lugo, will be with us for the summer. This parish is phenomenal in helping these young men find their “ministerial feet” so to speak. And we always welcome the opportunity to be blessed with their enthusiasm and energy. Finally, the Diocese has approved our moving into the construction phase for the rectory project. The prep work has already been done, and the actual building phase should begin in the next few weeks. This weekend, we are making a final push to reach our campaign goal. If you have not done so, we need your help and participation. The goal is doable and, together we can accomplish much. Assuming our fundraising keeps apace our hope is to begin the main-campus project next summer. Between now and then we will be doing some evaluations and, where necessary, value engineering to help us stay on track with the plan.

From the Pastor - Sixth Sunday of Easter

By John Putnam • May 30, 2025
The concept of hospitality is fundamental to a stewardship way of life. When we envision hospitality, we naturally think of offering a sincere and warm welcome — to those new to our parish, for instance. We picture inviting them in and making them feel at home and at ease in our presence, communicating to them that they are highly valued. Today’s Gospel reading from John invites us to think of hospitality in a slightly different way. In it, we hear Jesus speaking this to his disciples: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.” Jesus is asking that we permit the Blessed Trinity to come and dwell within us. This is a stunning request. It tells us that our first and most privileged form of hospitality should be directed towards God Himself. How does one show hospitality to God? How do we make God “at home and at ease” within us? How can we communicate to God that He is “highly valued” by us? Jesus tells us how: we are to keep His word, to follow HIs teachings. To keep His word, we must know His word. This takes discipline and effort on our part. We must make the study of Scripture and Church teaching a priority in our daily lives. If we want our parish to be a place of genuine Christian hospitality, we must be sure that our own hearts are hospitable dwelling places for the Blessed Trinity. Then our smiles and words, our greetings and ministries will radiate with the warmth of God’s love. And our parish family will become at least a little bit like Heaven on earth. This is the simplicity and glory of a stewardship way of life . © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025
More Posts