“On the basis of this way of manifesting the presence of God who is Father, love, and mercy, Jesus makes mercy one of the principal themes of his preaching.”
READ: LUKE 15:11–32
He also said, “A man had two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery. When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch, so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled his belly with the husks the pigs were eating but no one offered him anything. Then he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s paid servants have more food than they want, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your paid servants.’ So he left the place and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Then his son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
“Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. ‘Your brother has come,’ replied the servant, ‘and your father has killed the calf we had fattened because he has got him back safe and sound.’ He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out to plead with him; but he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property — he and his women — you kill the calf we had been fattening.’ The father said, ‘My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.’ ”
YOUR THREE-STEP GUIDE TO DAILY MENTAL PRAYER
REFLECT
Many leaders in the world are “in it for themselves.” Christ isn’t. His greatest glory is winning people’s hearts for God, which also happens to be the best thing for them. When the Pharisees complained about His generosity to sinners, He made the most of their attention to try to teach them a lesson. He didn’t have to — they certainly didn’t deserve His mercy — but He chose to. Then, in the parable itself, Christ profiles His own heart — the heart of God — in the behavior of the father, who lived only for his sons’ well-being. “All I have is yours” is no empty rhetoric: in Christ, in the Church, in the Eucharist, God has held absolutely nothing back from us. Jesus is Lord, but He is the Lord of love, longing for hearts that will submit to His gentle and life-giving reign.
RESPOND
Whereas the Pharisees needed to understand Your goodness and mercy, I think that at times I need to be more aware of the evil of sin. I have been infected by the prevailing mentality that forgets about personal responsibility and about the wounds that selfishness causes to others. Lord, why do I act as if self-centeredness were okay? Free me, Lord, to love.
Something made that younger son come back to his senses. You are working in mysterious, hidden ways in every heart. I have placed my hope in You because I believe that You are the way, the truth, and the life. But sometimes I have less confidence in Your ability to help others who seem so far from the truth to come to their senses. Increase my hope, Lord.
REST
I don’t have to go far to find people who are in trouble, who are sad, who need to come back to You and don’t know the way. Open my heart so I can reach out to them. Will You not use my slightest effort, even if it’s clumsy, as a channel of grace? I don’t want to hoard the treasure You have given me — knowing Your love. The more I give away, the more You will give to me.
RESOLVE
How can I carry this encounter with me into the day? (Write / Journal)
CLOSING PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Most Blessed and Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank You for Your love and Your grace in allowing me this time of prayer with You.
The world, the flesh, and the devil will all propose things I should focus on and run after today. I beg You to fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help me instead to know and embrace Your will. Help me to see what You desire of me each moment of this day. Give me the wisdom, strength, and fortitude I need to avoid distractions, discern Your will, and focus on and carry out that which Wisdom reveals. Help me to work and live at a pace of peace and prayerfulness, always attentive to You, able to hear Your voice and to say no to anything that hinders my journey to You and a complete yes to every Holy prompting from You.
Help me to humbly and purposefully live, light, and lead others to the path of union with You and to tell everyone about this way of life. Amen.
About the Author
Fr. John Bartunek was ordained in 2003. He has taught moral theology at various ecclesiastical institutions at the graduate and undergraduate levels, and has authored many books, including the Gospel companion, The Better Part, and Inside the Passion, the only authorized behind-the-scenes look at the film, for which he provided on-set spiritual support. His online retreat guides are available in multiple formats at RCSpirituality.org. Fr. John currently resides in Atlanta, where he is serving as territorial vicar for the Legionaries of Christ.
