4th Sunday of Lent, Cycle C

Prayer 

Father, through our observance of Lent, help us to understand the meaning of your Son’s death and resurrection, and teach us to reflect it in our lives. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Commentary

1st Reading: Josh 5:9a,10-12

The Book of Joshua tells the story of the Israelites being led from the desert and into the promised land. With God as their King and Joshua as their guide, the Israelites pass through the Jordan river on the fourteenth of the month of Nissan. This occurs in the same month exactly forty year after the Passover.

In fact, just as the waters parted for the Israelites at the Red Sea, the waters parted for Joshua and the people of Israel at the Jordan. Thus, the Passover celebration in today’s reading is a remembrance of the Passover in the days of Moses.

The Israelites should have passed through the Jordan forty years earlier (during the original Passover), but they were too afraid to enter the promised land. So, God let them wander for forty years in the desert for not putting their trust in him.

After a long forty year period of penance, the Israelites finally cross into the Land of Canaan and renewed their commitment to God with the Passover meal. God’s people were home and they had reason to rejoice.

Question:

Have you ever received a penance that caused you to rejoice in the Lord?

2nd Reading: 2 Cor 5:17-21

The first reading tells us of the people who have found their true home in the promised land.

In this second reading, Saint Paul reminds us that we are in the land of God–the Kingdom of God.

Those of us who live in Christ have become a new creation and abide in a new world. We don’t have to live in a world that passes away. We don’t have to live in a world that leads us to simple and passing pleasures. We are a part of an eternal world with eternal pleasure and joy!

Therefore, Paul reminds us that we are to be ambassadors for Christ. We are, as Christ himself, in this world, but not of this world. We have our residence here, but our true home is in Christ and in his Kingdom.

This means that we are not to return to the old world of sin. Rather, we should be reconciled to God and remember the true home that has been given to us. As the Israelites had no intention of wandering the desert for another forty years, we should not want to return to our wandering in sin.

If we should find ourselves desiring the old way of life, we need to hear Christ call: “Return to me! Rejoice in me!”

Question:

How have you ever been an ambassador for the Kingdom of God? In what way do you share the joy of a new life in Christ?

Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Only in the Gospel of Luke do we find this parable of the Prodigal Son. Luke desires to share the tremendous patience of God as the Lord waits for us to return to Him.

The story seems hard to accept. How could a father be so patient with a son who has no desire to be faithful? But that is why we worship our God. Though we lack in our fidelity to God, the Lord is always faithful toward his people. For this, we can only be thankful.

Like the son in this Gospel, or the people who wandered the desert for forty years, we may have to wander in our sin and own designs. And, as we wander, it may just dawn on us that our own plans and designs are faulty and God’s design is perfect.

God is perfect and God is patient! He waits for us to come to our senses and return to him.  The Israelites celebrates the Passover after finally coming home. The son celebrates with his father upon his return. We are called to celebrate with God when we are reconciled to him

The Lord is calling us: Return to me! Rejoice in me!

Question:

Have you ever had a prodigal-son-like experience in your life? What made you return to God with your whole heart?

This Week’s Task 

Make a list of people you know who have wandered away from the Church and from Christ. Offer a prayer for them and ask the Lord to help them find their way back to the Lord. You may know someone who has wandered and may choose to invite him/her to attend a Lenten reconciliation service and/or attend Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, or Easter with you.

Group Prayer

March is the month of Saint Patrick. The group leader invites the group to say the following prayer. A lighted candle may be placed on a table as the group prays this Breastplate of Saint Patrick.

Christ, as a light illumine & guide us. Christ as a shield overshadow & cover us. Christ be under us, Christ be over us.

Christ be beside us, on left & on right. Christ be before us, behind us, about us. Christ, this day,

be within and without us. Christ, the lowly and the meek, Christ, the all-powerful,

be in the heart

of each to whom we speak,

in the mouth of each who speaks to us, in all who draw near to us,

or see us, or hear us.

The prayer continues with Psalm 34. 

Psalm 

Response: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. 

I will bless the LORD at all times;

his praise shall be ever in my mouth.

Let my soul glory in the LORD;

the lowly will hear me and be glad.

R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Glorify the LORD with me,

let us together extol his name.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,

and your faces may not blush with shame.

When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,

and from all his distress he saved him.

R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Conclude with an Our Father

Used with permission. All rights reserved. Christ in Our Neighborhood is a Scripture program designed by Bishop John P. Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix.