4th Sunday of Lent - C 2025

There are few parables of our Lord as well known as that of the Prodigal Son – and for good reason.  The parable gives us a glimpse into the merciful heart of our heavenly Father.  The depths of His merciful love are immeasurable.  It is comforting.  It is beautiful.  It is moving.  And for these reasons the parable is immensely popular.

There are many different angles one could take in preaching on this parable.  Today I want to focus on one particular aspect: the avaricious and egocentric son’s disposition and motives for returning home to his father.

To grasp the gravity of the son’s actions, we need to consider his request for his inheritance.  “Give me the share of your estate that should come to me” he says to his father.  Now, when does one typically receive an inheritance from one’s parents?  When the parents are deceased.  By asking for the inheritance, the son is essentially saying “I wish you were dead.  Give me what belongs to me when you die.”  He then abandons his family for lavish and gluttonous living.  He has chosen a depraved life over his father and family.

During his wanderings, a famine strikes and his fortune runs out.  He finds himself working for a pig farmer – an unthinkable job for Jews.  He thinks to himself “What am I doing here?  My father’s workers have it better than me.  I know what I’ll do.  I’ll go back to my father and work for him.”  He then thinks up a script for what he will say to his father.  He will acknowledge his wrongdoings and recognize the iniquity of his actions.  But notice that he is not really contrite and sorry for how he treated his father.  His motives for returning to his father are not out of guilt or sorrow for what he’s done.  His motives are colored by and seasoned with selfishness.  He wants comfort and a better life.  These are his motives for repenting of his wretched actions.  And so, he sets out for his father’s home.

We then come to perhaps the most moving part of the story.  The father sees his son from a distance.  He must have been waiting, watching the road and hoping for the day when his son would return.  He catches sight of him a long way off.  He does not stand there with arms crossed and brow furrowed.  Rather, he runs to meet his son.  The father is a successful and wealthy man.  Successful and wealthy men don’t run because they never have to run.  It was unbecoming and unsightly for someone of affluence to exert any physical effort.  Running was beneath their dignity.  That’s what servants were for.  Upon meeting his son the father throws himself on him and kisses him – despite the fact that he smells like a pigsty.  He won’t hear his son’s excuses or explanations.  There isn’t time for that.  His son needs new clothes.  A celebration must be arranged.

This act of mercy is a glimpse of how our heavenly Father acts when we turn back to Him.  Even if we return with selfish motives, the Father’s mercy is immeasurable.  In the same way, when we turn back to God, even with impure motives, we can trust in His mercy.

There are many obstacles that prevent people from receiving God’s mercy.  One that I have observed is that people feel like they must have everything together before confessing their sins.  They feel they must have utterly pure motives and have their life in order before they receive His mercy.  But look at the story of the prodigal son.  His motives are not totally pure.  He is still self-absorbed when he returns to his father.  We might think “why would I confess my sins?  I know I’m going to mess up again.”  Or we think “I don’t really feel sorry.  Why should I go to confession?”  But if we simply acknowledge that we have done wrong, confess our sins, and amend to do better, we will receive mercy.

Don’t get me wrong.  In order for sins to be forgiven we must be sorry.  But our motives will never be totally pure.  And so that should not stop us from receiving God’s mercy in the Sacrament of Confession.  Whether we are wracked with guilt or we feel little sorrow over our sins, whether we are driven to the Sacrament of Confession because are completely contrite or simply because “Fr. Ben told me to go,” we are forgiven of our sins as long as there is a modicum of contrition.  We should pray to the Holy Spirit for a greater sorrow over our sins and confess them.

If you’ve not made use of the Sacrament of Confession this Lent, I strongly encourage you to do so.  Encourage others to go.  And don’t second guess yourself.  Pray for a purification of your motives, go to confession, and pray for a firm amendment to stay free of sin.

We only have a few weeks left in Lent.  I try to make the Sacrament of Confession readily available at our parish.  And in a couple weeks we will have a penance service here on April 11^th at 6 pm.  Multiple priests will be available.  Go to Confession.  Receive the Father’s mercy.  Like the father in today’s parable, he is waiting for you, ready to run to meet you despite not having everything together or perfect motives.  The depths of His merciful love are immeasurable.