Pope Francis’ Address to the Diplomatic Corps

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Deacon Bob

Here is the pope’s address to the diplomatic corps of the Vatican. This corps is from many different nations of the world. In it I think we find the beginnings of the outline of Pope Francis vision of his papacy.

As I have said informally to several people recently, those who want to describe our new Holy Father as a “liberal” will be very much disappointed in him for he doesn’t fit the stereotype. Our Holy Father is Catholic. Catholicism defies political categorization.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Heartfelt thanks to your Dean, Ambassador Jean-Claude Michel, for the kind words that he has addressed to me in the name of everyone present. It gives me joy to welcome you for this exchange of greetings: a simple yet deeply felt ceremony, that somehow seeks to express the Pope’s embrace of the world. Through you, indeed, I encounter your peoples, and thus in a sense I can reach out to every one of your fellow citizens, with their joys, their troubles, their expectations, their desires.

Your presence here in such numbers is a sign that the relations between your countries and the Holy See are fruitful, that they are truly a source of benefit to mankind. That, indeed, is what matters to the Holy See: the good of every person upon this earth! And it is with this understanding that the Bishop of Rome embarks upon his ministry, in the knowledge that he can count on the friendship and affection of the countries you represent, and in the certainty that you share this objective. At the same time, I hope that it will also be an opportunity to begin a journey with those few countries that do not yet have diplomatic relations with the Holy See, some of which were present at the Mass for the beginning of my ministry, or sent messages as a sign of their closeness – for which I am truly grateful.

As you know, there are various reasons why I chose the name of Francis of Assisi, a familiar figure far beyond the borders of Italy and Europe, even among those who do not profess the Catholic faith. One of the first reasons was Francis’ love for the poor. How many poor people there still are in the world! And what great suffering they have to endure! After the example of Francis of Assisi, the Church in every corner of the globe has always tried to care for and look after those who suffer from want, and I think that in many of your countries you can attest to the generous activity of Christians who dedicate themselves to helping the sick, orphans, the homeless and all the marginalized, thus striving to make society more humane and more just.

But there is another form of poverty! It is the spiritual poverty of our time, which afflicts the so-called richer countries particularly seriously. It is what my much-loved predecessor, Benedict XVI, called the “tyranny of relativism”, which makes everyone his own criterion and endangers the coexistence of peoples. And that brings me to a second reason for my name. Francis of Assisi tells us we should work to build peace. But there is no true peace without truth! There cannot be true peace if everyone is his own criterion, if everyone can always claim exclusively his own rights, without at the same time caring for the good of others, of everyone, on the basis of the nature that unites every human being on this earth.

One of the titles of the Bishop of Rome is Pontiff, that is, a builder of bridges with God and between people. My wish is that the dialogue between us should help to build bridges connecting all people, in such a way that everyone can see in the other not an enemy, not a rival, but a brother or sister to be welcomed and embraced! My own origins impel me to work for the building of bridges. As you know, my family is of Italian origin; and so this dialogue between places and cultures a great distance apart matters greatly to me, this dialogue between one end of the world and the other, which today are growing ever closer, more interdependent, more in need of opportunities to meet and to create real spaces of authentic fraternity.

In this work, the role of religion is fundamental. It is not possible to build bridges between people while forgetting God. But the converse is also true: it is not possible to establish true links with God, while ignoring other people. Hence it is important to intensify dialogue among the various religions, and I am thinking particularly of dialogue with Islam. At the Mass marking the beginning of my ministry, I greatly appreciated the presence of so many civil and religious leaders from the Islamic world. And it is also important to intensify outreach to non-believers, so that the differences which divide and hurt us may never prevail, but rather the desire to build true links of friendship between all peoples, despite their diversity.

Fighting poverty, both material and spiritual, building peace and constructing bridges: these, as it were, are the reference points for a journey that I want to invite each of the countries here represented to take up. But it is a difficult journey, if we do not learn to grow in love for this world of ours. Here too, it helps me to think of the name of Francis, who teaches us profound respect for the whole of creation and the protection of our environment, which all too often, instead of using for the good, we exploit greedily, to one another’s detriment.

Dear Ambassadors,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you again for all the work that you do, alongside the Secretariat of State, to build peace and construct bridges of friendship and fraternity. Through you, I would like to renew to your Governments my thanks for their participation in the celebrations on the occasion of my election, and my heartfelt desire for a fruitful common endeavour. May Almighty God pour out his gifts on each one of you, on your families and on the peoples that you represent. Thank you!

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Quote for the Day

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Deacon Bob

” But there is no true peace without truth! There cannot be true peace if everyone is his own criterion, if everyone can always claim exclusively his own rights, without at the same time caring for the good of others, of everyone, on the basis of the nature that unites every human being on this earth.” — Pope Francis

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The Pope Will Be In a Prison Holy Thursday

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Deacon Bob

Here is another unexpected turn of events in the new papacy of Pope Francis. The Vatican is announcing today that Pope Francis will celebrate Holy Thursday’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper in a juvenile prison near Rome. As the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio would usually celebrate Holy Thursday Mass in a prison, hospital or with marginalized groups. As Pope, he will continue this tradition.

In the first few days of his pontificate, Pope Francis has highlighted the need to serve the poor, adding that true power doesn´t come with money or influence, but rather in service.  

The prison is the Casal del Marmo Detention Center. According the Osservatore Romano, 

 “As Archbishop of Buenos Aires — the Cardinal Bergoglio used to celebrate” The Mass In Cena Domini “in a prison, hospital or hospice for the poor or marginalized”.

With the choice to go to a prison for juvenile delinquency, Pope Francis has thus decided to continue this course and to maintain the simplicity whereby he has always lived.Therefore on 28 March the Holy Father will celebrate the Chrism Mass in the morning in St Peter’s Basilica and in the afternoon at 5:30 p.m. he will go to the Correctional Facility for minors, Casal del Marmo, for the “Mass of the Lord’s Supper”, a celebration by the message of the Commandment of love and by the washing of the feet”.

All the other Holy Week ceremonies will take place according to “normal custom.”

Both Benedict XVI and John Paul II visited the detention center. Pope Benedict celebrated Mass there on 18 March 2007, the Fourth Sunday of Lent and Pope John Paul went there for a visit during the afternoon of 6 January 1980, the Solemnity of the Epiphany.

May God continue to strengthen our new Holy Father in his ministry as Successor to Peter and Bishop of Rome.

 
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Quote for the Day

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Deacon Bob

“Thanks be to God for vocation – and for strength to follow the call, at least imperfectly.” — Ven. Solanus Casey, OFM Cap.

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Pope Francis’ Homily at his Mass of Installation

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Deacon Bob

Here is the Holy Father’s homily this morning at the Mass of Installation, beginning his Petrine Ministry.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I thank the Lord that I can celebrate this Holy Mass for the inauguration of my Petrine ministry on the solemnity of Saint Joseph, the spouse of the Virgin Mary and the patron of the universal Church. It is a significant coincidence, and it is also the name-day of my venerable predecessor: we are close to him with our prayers, full of affection and gratitude.

I offer a warm greeting to my brother cardinals and bishops, the priests, deacons, men and women religious, and all the lay faithful. I thank the representatives of the other Churches and ecclesial Communities, as well as the representatives of the Jewish community and the other religious communities, for their presence. My cordial greetings go to the Heads of State and Government, the members of the official Delegations from many countries throughout the world, and the Diplomatic Corps.

In the Gospel we heard that “Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took Mary as his wife” (Mt 1:24). These words already point to the mission which God entrusts to Joseph: he is to be the custos, the protector. The protector of whom? Of Mary and Jesus; but this protection is then extended to the Church, as Blessed John Paul II pointed out: “Just as Saint Joseph took loving care of Mary and gladly dedicated himself to Jesus Christ’s upbringing, he likewise watches over and protects Christ’s Mystical Body, the Church, of which the Virgin Mary is the exemplar and model” (Redemptoris Custos, 1).

How does Joseph exercise his role as protector? Discreetly, humbly and silently, but with an unfailing presence and utter fidelity, even when he finds it hard to understand. From the time of his betrothal to Mary until the finding of the twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem, he is there at every moment with loving care. As the spouse of Mary, he is at her side in good times and bad, on the journey to Bethlehem for the census and in the anxious and joyful hours when she gave birth; amid the drama of the flight into Egypt and during the frantic search for their child in the Temple; and later in the day-to-day life of the home of Nazareth, in the workshop where he taught his trade to Jesus.

How does Joseph respond to his calling to be the protector of Mary, Jesus and the Church? By being constantly attentive to God, open to the signs of God’s presence and receptive to God’s plans, and not simply to his own. This is what God asked of David, as we heard in the first reading. God does not want a house built by men, but faithfulness to his word, to his plan. It is God himself who builds the house, but from living stones sealed by his Spirit. Joseph is a “protector” because he is able to hear God’s voice and be guided by his will; and for this reason he is all the more sensitive to the persons entrusted to his safekeeping. He can look at things realistically, he is in touch with his surroundings, he can make truly wise decisions. In him, dear friends, we learn how to respond to God’s call, readily and willingly, but we also see the core of the Christian vocation, which is Christ! Let us protect Christ in our lives, so that we can protect others, so that we can protect creation!

The vocation of being a “protector”, however, is not just something involving us Christians alone; it also has a prior dimension which is simply human, involving everyone. It means protecting all creation, the beauty of the created world, as the Book of Genesis tells us and as Saint Francis of Assisi showed us. It means respecting each of God’s creatures and respecting the environment in which we live. It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about. It means caring for one another in our families: husbands and wives first protect one another, and then, as parents, they care for their children, and children themselves, in time, protect their parents. It means building sincere friendships in which we protect one another in trust, respect, and goodness. In the end, everything has been entrusted to our protection, and all of us are responsible for it. Be protectors of God’s gifts!

Whenever human beings fail to live up to this responsibility, whenever we fail to care for creation and for our brothers and sisters, the way is opened to destruction and hearts are hardened. Tragically, in every period of history there are “Herods” who plot death, wreak havoc, and mar the countenance of men and women.

Please, I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill: let us be “protectors” of creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment. Let us not allow omens of destruction and death to accompany the advance of this world! But to be “protectors”, we also have to keep watch over ourselves! Let us not forget that hatred, envy and pride defile our lives! Being protectors, then, also means keeping watch over our emotions, over our hearts, because they are the seat of good and evil intentions: intentions that build up and tear down! We must not be afraid of goodness or even tenderness!

Here I would add one more thing: caring, protecting, demands goodness, it calls for a certain tenderness. In the Gospels, Saint Joseph appears as a strong and courageous man, a working man, yet in his heart we see great tenderness, which is not the virtue of the weak but rather a sign of strength of spirit and a capacity for concern, for compassion, for genuine openness to others, for love. We must not be afraid of goodness, of tenderness!

Today, together with the feast of Saint Joseph, we are celebrating the beginning of the ministry of the new Bishop of Rome, the Successor of Peter, which also involves a certain power. Certainly, Jesus Christ conferred power upon Peter, but what sort of power was it? Jesus’ three questions to Peter about love are followed by three commands: feed my lambs, feed my sheep. Let us never forget that authentic power is service, and that the Pope too, when exercising power, must enter ever more fully into that service which has its radiant culmination on the Cross. He must be inspired by the lowly, concrete and faithful service which marked Saint Joseph and, like him, he must open his arms to protect all of God’s people and embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important, those whom Matthew lists in the final judgment on love: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and those in prison (cf. Mt 25:31-46). Only those who serve with love are able to protect!

In the second reading, Saint Paul speaks of Abraham, who, “hoping against hope, believed” (Rom 4:18). Hoping against hope! Today too, amid so much darkness, we need to see the light of hope and to be men and women who bring hope to others. To protect creation, to protect every man and every woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love, is to open up a horizon of hope; it is to let a shaft of light break through the heavy clouds; it is to bring the warmth of hope! For believers, for us Christians, like Abraham, like Saint Joseph, the hope that we bring is set against the horizon of God, which has opened up before us in Christ. It is a hope built on the rock which is God.

To protect Jesus with Mary, to protect the whole of creation, to protect each person, especially the poorest, to protect ourselves: this is a service that the Bishop of Rome is called to carry out, yet one to which all of us are called, so that the star of hope will shine brightly. Let us protect with love all that God has given us!

I implore the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, Saints Peter and Paul, and Saint Francis, that the Holy Spirit may accompany my ministry, and I ask all of you to pray for me! Amen.

 

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Pope Francis’ Evangelistic Assault

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Deacon Bob

If he keeps it up, it appears to me that Pope Francis is leaning hard on the rudder of the barque which is the Church, steering it in the direction that was so eloquently started by John Paul I, taken up and championed by John Paul II. He appears to launching an all-out evangelistic assault on the world.

There are so many people in the Church today, with whom I speak, who seem to have moved to a defensive posture relative to the world. They seem to be of the opinion that the Church is being assaulted and we must defend and close ranks, that we must purge and purify, that we must retrench and rebuild definitional boundaries that separate the just from the unjust, those inside and those outside.

Francis, in contrast, seems to be of a different point of view given what I have been reading and observing so far. He appears to be moving the Church toward a position of embrace and engagement, of rather boldly and confidently proclaiming the Faith with an evangelistic fervor I have not recalled since John Paul I’s 33 days. He appears to be righting the Church which was listing starboard from the weight of the scandals that she bore. He appears to want to take in both the righteous and the sinner, knowing that in bringing in a harvest you get not only the grain but also some weed seed also which will be winnowed out by God himself.

He appears to be on an evangelistic roll that I hope continues.

He appears to understand that when you embrace the poor, you will get your hands dirty. He appears to know that poverty and sin co-exist unfortunately, and that it our job to embrace the poor and have God forgive the sin. He appears to recognize that there is a great danger in riches and privilege, and that pure religion consists in ministering to the widow and the orphan.

You have to admire and be struck by him, wherever your religious sensibilities may lie. Simply amazing!

God bless him!

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Here is the Papal RIng

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Deacon Bob

It has not been confirmed by the Vatican (as far as I know), but this is what is being reported: the pope has chosen to wear this “used” ring after his installation tomorrow. It is a gold-plated silver ring that was worn by another bishop and apparently offered to Pope Paul VI. It is unclear whether Paul VI actually wore the ring or not.

UPDATED: I have learned that the Vatican has confirmed that this will be the ring of Papa Francesco.

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The New Papal Coat of Arms and Motto

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Deacon Bob

Here is Papa Francesco’s papal coat of arms.

His coat of arms is simple in style, with the bishop’s miter at the top. As in all papal coat of arms, the papal keys, one gold the other silver, cross and are threaded by a red cincture or rope. The sun with the letters IHS in the center is the symbol of the Jesuit order. It is superimposed upon the cross with three black nails under the H. Below this are two symbols: the star represents the Blessed Mother and what looks like a cluster of grapes is in fact nard used in burial ceremonies during biblical times and has historically represented St. Joseph, spouse of Mary and step-father of Jesus.

You will notice near the bottom his motto: miserando atque eligendo. Translated, this means lowly yet chosen. Pope Francis took this motto from a homily given by St. Bede in which Bede commented on the calling of St. Matthew where we read, “Jesus saw a pubblican and he looked at him with love and chose him, saying, “Follow me.” Bede’s homily spoke of God’s mercy, which the Holy Father has found to have a special significance in his spiritual life. When Papa Francesco was 17 years old, he experienced the loving presence of God in his life. He felt God’s mercy descend upon him after a confession which in turn led him to pursure a religious life after the example of St. Ignatius of Loyola who had a similar experience. After the pope was elected bishop, in memory of this event in his life, he chose this expression, miserando atque eligendo, as his motto which he has carried over now into his papacy.

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Pope Francis’ Biography, in brief

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Deacon Bob

Here is a short biography of Pope Francis, as given on the Vatican’s website.


Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ordinary for Eastern-rite faithful in Argentina who lack an Ordinary of their own rite, was born on 17 December 1936 in Buenos Aires. He was ordained for the Jesuits on 13 December 1969 during his theological studies at the Theological Faculty of San Miguel.He was novice master in San Miguel, where he also taught theology. He was Provincial for Argentina (1973-1979) and rector of the Philosophical and Theological Faculty of San Miguel (1980-1986). After completing his doctoral dissertation in Germany, he served as a confessor and spiritual director in Córdoba.On 20 May 1992 he was appointed titular Bishop of Auca and Auxiliary of Buenos Aires, receiving episcopal consecration on 27 June. On 3 June 1997 was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires and succeeded Cardinal Antonio Quarracino on 28 February 1998. He is also Ordinary for Eastern-rite faithful in Argentina who lack an Ordinary of their own rite.

Adjunct Relator General of the 10th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, October 2001.

He served as President of the Bishops’ Conference of Argentina from 8 November 2005 until 8 November 2011.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by the Bl. John Paul II in the consistory of 21 February 2001, of the  Title of S. Roberto Bellarmino (St. Robert Bellarmine).
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This Says it All

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Deacon Bob

This says a lot of about the man. Here is Pope Francis in 2005, washing the feet of women in a maternity ward. I assume it was HolyThursday.

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Pope Francis’ First Words to the World

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Deacon Bob

(Here are the Holy Father’s first words to the world. The original is in Italian. This is my translation.)

Brothers and sisters, good evening!

You know that the Conclave must give a bishop to Rome. It seems my brother cardinals went almost to the end of the world to get him…. but here we are… I thank you for the reception. The diocesan community of Rome has its Bishop; thank you! First of all, I would pray for our Bishop-emeritus, Benedict XVI. We pray together for him, that the Lord bless him and the Madonna keep him.

(He prayed the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be with the people.)

Now, we begin this journey: bishop and people. This journey of the Church of Rome that presides in charity for all the Churches. A journey of brotherhood, of love, of fidelity among us. We pray always for us… one for the other. We pray for the entire world, so there may be a great brotherhood. It is my hope that this journey of the Church that we begin today in which my Cardinal Vicar will help me, here present, may be fruiful for the evangelization of this very beautiful city.

An now I would like to give my Blessing, but first, first I ask you a favor. Before the bishop blesses the people, I ask that you pray to the Lord so that he may bless me, the prayer of the people, asking a blessing for their bishop. Let us do so in silence, this prayer of yours on me.

[…]

Now I will bless you and the whole world, to all men and women of good will.

[Blessing]

Brothers and sisters, I now leave you. Thank you for the reception. Pray form me and pray soon! We will see each other soon. Tomorrow I want to go and pray to the Madonna so that she may protect all of Rome. Good night and rest well!

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Pope Francis and John Paul I’s Legacy

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Deacon Bob

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I was immediately struck by something when I watched Pope Francis at the front loggia of St. Peter’s yesterday afternoon. I thought, “This is what I remember in August of 1978. This is what I witnessed 35 years ago in Pope John Paul I.”

The man even looks like Luciani.

From all accounts, Pope Francis is a man like John Paul I. I think we will see, finally, lived out before us what could have been had John Paul I’s 33 days been ten years or more.

Francis has already been breaking some expectations. He reportedly (according to Cardinal Dolan) refused to stand on an elevated platform when the other cardinals came to pledge him their loyalty, stating he wanted to be down there with them. When he came to the loggia yesterday, he did not wear the papal stole until imparting to us the Apostolic Blessing. He asked for our prayers for him and bowed his head before giving us his blessing. He spoke directly to us.

Francis, while archbishop of Buenos Aires, refused to live in the bishop’s palace but took an apartment next to his cathedral. He refused a personal car and either biked or took public transportation. He is known to be a man of the poor, and a man who is not afraid to confront public authority if needed. He is noted for his simplicity and his poverty. He is noted for his orthodoxy in faith and morals.

He is a Jesuit, but he took the name of Francis. He shows signs of reuniting and rebuilding the Church.

My friends, just we all were amazed at John Paul I’s simplicity and his desire to be with us. We will be amazed, I predict, at Francis’ rebuilding of the Church.

With Francis we may have the fulfillment of the papacy of John Paul I. I couldn’t be happier!

I was pleased to see that Rocco Palmo over at Whispers in the Loggia (see Blogroll at lower right) has had the same impressions as me in many respects.

Let us pray for our new Holy Father, and thank God for a worthy shepherd.

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Pope Francis!

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Deacon Bob

Our new Holy Father is Pope Francis! Formerly Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio from Argentina, Pope Francis is a Jesuit and a man of great holiness.

A man who knows the poor, and who has taken the name of a great saint of the Middle Ages who reformed the Church.

All I can say is, “God be praised!”

Thank you, Lord.

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The Church Waits…..

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Deacon Bob

At this very hour, the cardinals are in conclave and will be casting their first vote in a manner of minutes. I cannot tell you how vivid my memories are of the conclaves of 1978 when Albino Luciani was elected in August and then Karol Wojtyla in October. At both of those, I was watching closely the Sistine Chapel roof, as I am doing today, only back then it was from the Vatican itself whereas today it is via webcam from the United States.

Both Luciani and Wojtyla were unexpected choices. I suspect the conclave of 2013 will result in an unexpected choice also.

My friends, please pray at this hour and in the ensuing hours that the cardinals will select a man with the heart of a pastor and the skills of an administrator to lead our Church.

Papas Luciani and Wojtyla, pray for the Church!

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Deacon Bob’s Homily for 4th Sunday of Lent, Cycle C

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Deacon Bob

Here is my homily for this weekend. God bless you all!

Audio: 4th Sunday of Lent – Cycle C 2013

Text:

4th Sunday of Lent, Cycle C

March 9/10, 2013

Joshua 5: 9A, 10-12; 2 Cor 5: 17-21; Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32

 “Father, I have sinned against God and against you.”

The prodigal son returned to his Forgiving Father. It was in his very nature to return to his father just as it is in our nature to return to God. We were made to love God forever. God is love and each of us is made in His image and thus we are made to love Him deeply, intensely, personally and completely.

We are living lives that are to lead us to the Father.

Just as the Forgiving Father loved his poverty stricken son who had sinned, so too we are to love those in need. We will meet them on the way back to God. We will meet them when we don’t expect them. We are to love them as God would love them.

Jesus reminds us in the parable of the prodigal son that we are to imitate the Forgiving Father AND we are to follow the footsteps of the prodigal son back home.

In the Forgiving Father he shows us that we do not truly love if we do not forgive those difficult to love people who, just like the prodigal son, fall into sinful ways of living. Yes, we do not truly love God if we fail to forgive others.

In the Prodigal Son, Jesus shows us that we are to come to know ourselves in our personal sins, to trust in His love and forgiveness, and to return to Him through the sacraments, asking him to pardon our sins.

Yes, our lives are a journey, a return to the Father.  Our very hearts and souls were made for Him. We were made to touch Him, to hear Him, to see Him, to be reconciled with the Father who loves us, who searches for us and waits for us to return to Him.

The Gospel of the Prodigal Son is indeed a very challenging Gospel for all of us. It leaves us with a certain inner tension.

On one hand, we are drawn toward the love of the Forgiving Father, the intense love we seek that can only be found with God our Father who waits for us, searches for us and welcomes us home.

On the other hand, we are held back by the weight of our sins, held back by our fear that we will be rejected and unloved. We are held back because of our shame, just like the Prodigal Son was ashamed and was hesitant to return home.

Yes, our lives are caught between the desire to return and be forgiven, and the shame that holds us back.

We feel that tension don’t we, the tension between wanting to be embraced by the Father who loves us, and our fear of being seen for who we are and what we have done.

Is this not what keeps us away from the Sacrament of Penance, keeps us away for months or years sometime? We want the Father’s forgiveness but we fear being known in our sins.

Jesus teaches us today that we will not return to the Father if we don’t admit who we are and what we have done in our lives.

He wants to forgive us and relieve us of our shame and guilt. All we have to do is return. When we do, what happens?  In the parable today we heard, “Then the celebration began.”

Yes, a celebration begins when we receive the Father’s forgiveness. His forgiveness is complete and total. He refuses to stay fixated on our sins. Rather, he destroys the sin and embraces the sinner, just like the Forgiving Father in the parable. God rejoices when we return and he gives us only the best: the finest rings, the best clothing, and the choicest food. God rejoices. Did you ever think that that is one thing our Sunday Mass is all about? It is a great celebration, a feast that God has prepared for those who have admitted their sins and have been absolved in the Sacrament of Penance. The Mass is in one sense a spiritual feast celebrating the reconciliation of men and women to God. We celebrate the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, the great act of redemption and reconciliation of mankind to God. We celebrate the sacrifice of Jesus which brought about our reconciliation with our Forgiving Father.

My friends, Jesus continually invites us to be reconciled to him. All of us is some way are prodigal sons or daughters. Do not fear! God does not remain fixated on our sins, but offers us freely his forgiveness.  Then he wants us to come and eat with him. This is the great plea of the Church: “Be reconciled to God, then come and share our joy around the altar of sacrifice and eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ.”

The Church, in Jesus’ name, pleads with us especially during Lent to be reconciled. Fear not to return home, regardless of what you may have done, regardless of how ashamed you may be.

The Father is a forgiving Father.

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