Repentance and Reconciliation: Reflections on the Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Cycle C

Joshua 5:9a, 10-12
Psalm 34
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

One of the recurring themes in the readings for Lent is repentance. Another is reconciliation. The two go hand in hand. Without repentance there can be no reconciliation. Similarly, repentance is a recurring theme in Jesus’ teaching. Bishop Sheen, in his book, Life of Christ, notes: “The first sermon that Christ preached was on the subject of repentance, ... ‘Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ (Matthew 4:17). The first sermon of Peter was on repentance, the first sermon of Paul was on repentance; now the last sermon Christ preached before ascending into heaven was the theme of His first. (Luke 24:47) Repentance was to be the burden of the New Testament teaching.”

Reconcile means to restore to communion. Jesus told His disciples to reconcile oneself to one’s brother before offering gifts at the altar. This requires one to understand that there is a rift between people or between oneself and God and take steps to make things right. Therefore reconciliation is acknowledging our sin(s) and repenting means to take steps to restore communion by atonement (making amends) for those sins. Thus the Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation) restores us to communion with God.

In today’s first reading God tells Joshua, “Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.” In the passages at the beginning of this chapter (not read here) recaps Israel’s entry into the promised land. We learn that God had dried up the waters of the Jordan so that the Israelites could cross safely. Then God ordered Joshua to circumcise all of the males. This was because God had let them wander in the wilderness for forty years due to Israel’s transgressions against Him after delivering them from Egypt. God decreed that those who had transgressed would not enter into the promised land. In the process of their wandering the ritual of circumcision (the sign of the covenant between Abraham and the Lord) was not practiced. Thus, on entering into the promised land the covenant was renewed, thereby reconciling Israel once again with God.

Then, after recovering from circumcision (a painful operation, especially for adults), the Israelites celebrated the Passover on the plains of Jericho eating the produce of the (promised) land thereby completing the reconciliation with God. “On that same day after the Passover, on which they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased. No longer was there manna for the Israelites, who that year ate of the yield of the land of Canaan.”

It is appropriate then that the psalm chosen for today declares, “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” Having entered the promised land and eaten of its fruits it is well to glorify the Lord and extol His name. The Lord has finally delivered Israel into the land of milk and honey (although there will trials and tribulations to come) and so they should be “radiant with joy.” Bless the Lord, praise Him, and He will hear and save you from distress.

Paul also talks about reconciliation with God. This has been done through Jesus Christ, making us a new creation. Additionally, through Christ, we have been given the ministry (sacrament) of reconciliation. This is a gift from God, through the obedience of His only Son, Jesus Christ. Just a few lines prior to this reading Paul says, “He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him Who for their sake died and was raised.” In order to be a new creation we must die to ourselves so that we may live in the risen Jesus.

Earlier in this chapter Paul notes God “has given us the Spirit as a first installment.”  Recall Jesus’ visit by Nicodemus (John chapter 3) “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.” It is the Holy Spirit who comes to us in Baptism and again in force at Confirmation. If we are willing to listen, the Spirit will help us to understand what Jesus taught. Jesus sent the Spirit of Truth after His Ascension for that purpose (Pentecost). With the help of the Spirit we can be reconciled to God (through Jesus).

The gospel reading is one of the most well-known New Testament teachings of Jesus, the parable of the Prodigal Son. Prior to going into the parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus relates two other parables tying them to repentance (not read today). Both relate to the joy in finding something that had been lost (the lost sheep and the lost coin) concluding with the statement, “I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

This parable of the Prodigal Son covers so many of Jesus’ teachings: against worldliness, sin, repentance, reconciliation, conversion, the love of the Father, the joy over finding the lost, envy, and even judgment. The selection begins with a judgmental comment by the pharisees about Jesus’ relationship with sinners.

I have known teachers and professors who could look at the expressions on those in the classroom and know that they did not yet understand. The best of them would then begin the lesson again from a different angle to help the students get the point. Perhaps Jesus looked at the pharisees and saw that even after the lessons of the lost sheep and lost coin they didn’t understand and so He went into the tale of the Prodigal Son. We know from other incidents that the pharisees could be pretty dense and obstinate at times.

People haven’t changed. We often see those who refuse to see what seems so apparent to others and to acknowledge common sense (such as the existence of only two sexes and the evil of abortion). In this case the younger son, full of himself and very worldly and impatient, wants what is coming to him now and the father, very generously, gives it to him. He then goes off and squanders everything until he has sunk so low that he is willing to slop unclean animals in order to survive. Having hit bottom he sees the foolishness of his choices and that he would be better off as a hired hand in his father’s house.

Father Walshe talks about this parable in his book, Secrets from Heaven: Hidden Treasures of Faith in the Parables and Conversations of Jesus. In it he notes “And so it happens here in this parable; the famine and the want of the prodigal son is God’s justice lifting the veil from our eyes, manifesting to him that he has sinned and is on the way to damnation.”

C.S. Lewis explains it this way, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” (The Problem of Pain)

Thus we see that recognizing our sin puts us on the path to salvation and reconciliation. On the other side we see the love of God in the person of the father who never gave up on his son, always seeking the lost, and rejoicing in his return as Jesus described in the other parables. Unfortunately there is also the lesson of envy on the part of the older brother who could not rejoice in the return of his lost brother, even for the sake of the father, thus putting himself in a dangerous position easily exploitable by Satan.

Father Walshe adds, “... this parable is a reminder of the Father’s firm and unchangeable love. We should point out the many signs of the Father’s love for [us], especially in the sacrament of penance.”

Easter is fast approaching. If you haven’t been to Confession yet this Lent, now is a good time. Reconcile yourself to God and so be ready to rejoice in communion with Jesus in His resurrection.