Open arms

The Fourth Sunday of Lent

The parable Jesus tells in today’s Gospel is only found in Luke’s Gospel and it has a very powerful message which sometimes we overlook as we are so familiar with the story. It is called the parable of the Lost Son or the Prodigal Son and it invites us to consider the depth of God’s mercy and love.

Jesus attracted people who were on the outside of society often eating with tax collectors and sinners who were drawn to Jesus because of his acceptance of them and they listened to what he had to say. In contrast the Pharisees were scandalized by the company Jesus kept and they judged them harshly as they saw them as without morals and inferior to themselves. Jesus took the opportunity to teach about his Father’s reconciling love and measureless mercy.

In the story God is represented by the father and we are the prodigal son. First we should think about our response to the reckless son who asks for his inheritance before his father has died. Surely we would feel offended or disappointed by the request? Yet, the father gives the son what he asks for and he divides his property between his two sons. The father must then rely on his sons to provide for his well-being and so he is showing that he trusts his sons.

The younger son takes his inheritance and leaves home. The older son remains, continuing to provide for his father and the household. Even though disgraced by the younger son, the father watches the road waiting for his lost son to return. When eventually he sees his son returning his reaction is not one which we would expect. He not only welcomes him but gives him fine clothes, a ring and lays on a lavish banquet to celebrate! The father is showing almost outrageous love for his son, he is forgiving and merciful and this is the depth of God’s love for us when we decide to return to him, especially after an absence. 

It is not hard to identify with the anger which the older son feels. The father replies that they should celebrate together as the lost son has returned and at the same time the father is grateful for the elder son’s faithfulness. His love and gratitude for him are in no way diminished by the return of his brother. Yet the older son’s jealousy shows he didn’t really understand just how much his father loved him. The parable is talking about God’s relationship with us, we can be like the older son and reject the Father’s offer of a new life or we can act with humility and admit our mistakes not just our individual ones but those as a Christian community.

The fourth Sunday of Lent is called Laetare Sunday which means “rejoice.” The reason for our joy is described in today’s parable. As we journey through Lent, we too can experience the warm embrace of our heavenly Father especially through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

A reading from the Gospel of Luke (Lk 15: 1-3, 11-32)

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them Jesus addressed this parable: “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’”

The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

  1. Read the Gospel story so that you are familiar with it.
  2. Reflect on what the Gospel story is saying to you. Which points would you highlight and why?
  3. This parable reveals to us the depth of God’s love and mercy. God has given us free will and each of us is free to follow or reject him. Which choice are you making? Never forget that God’s love for us is beyond measure and he is always ready to forgive through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
  4. Pray the words of Pope Francis, “Lord, take me once more into your redeeming embrace.” How good it feels to come back to him whenever we are lost! Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy. Evangelii gaudium (para.3).
  5. Together with your family find the right time to read this Gospel. The environment helps, so before you start, prepare.
    i. The Bible reading from St Luke (Lk 15: 1-3, 11-32)
    ii. A candle
    iii. Cover the table with a pink cloth
    iv. A computer/laptop with the readings and clips
    v. Crucifix
  6. Go through the steps with your children (2 age groups are being suggested).
  7. Feel free to adapt to your situation
  8. Be creative 😊 

Today on the 4th Sunday of Lent, Jesus teaches about forgiveness by telling the story of a son who leaves home and carelessly spends all his money and when he loses everything including all his friends he decides to return home to his father. It’s called the parable of the Prodigal Son. 

  • Whenever we do something wrong and move away from God, we can always come back to Him and ask for forgiveness.
  • God welcomes us back with open arms
  • Large heart template
  • 3 Band Aid, adhesive plasters
  • Pencil/colours
Template Download

In the Gospel today Jesus teaches us something very important by telling a story about a father who has two sons. He wants us to know and understand that whatever we do wrong, we can always come back to God and ask for forgiveness. Because God loves us he will always welcome us back with open arms.

Once a man had two sons, the youngest went to his father and asked for his share of the inheritance that would be his when his father died. The father even though he was very sad that his son wanted to leave home, gave him his share of the money and the son left home and travelled the world. He did whatever he liked and he bought lots of expensive things and because of this he had many friends. After a while he ran out of money and when he had no money left his friends ran out on him! The son was desperate so he went to work for a man and his job was to feed the pigs. The young man was so hungry that he would gladly have eaten the food he was feeding to the pigs. He was feeling very sorry for himself and as he looked at the dirty pig pen he thought about the mistakes he had made in his life. He thought about his father and the home he had left behind. “Even a servant in my father’s house is better off than me,” said the son to himself. So he decided to return home. “I will tell my father that I am sorry for the way I behaved and I will ask for a job as one of his servants.”

Do you think that the father was willing to take his son back as one of his servants? Well the father was overjoyed when his younger son returned home and he welcomed him not as a servant but as a son. The father called his servants together and said to them, “Let’s have a feast to celebrate. For this son of mine was lost, but now is found.”

The story had a happy ending and Jesus told this story because it is really about us and the way that we behave towards others sometimes.  Many times we make bad choices just like the younger son in the story. We do things without thinking if our actions will hurt someone else. When we make mistakes how can we say sorry to God? How can we ask God to forgive us? We need to open our hearts to Him and show God how sorry we are and how eager we are to become better children. God is always waiting for us with open arms, especially in the Sacrament of Reconciliation (for those who are already preparing for their First Holy Communion). God’s love and forgiveness give us new strength to live as his children.    

To show God that we really do want to say sorry, print out the heart template. Randomly stick the Band Aid plasters on the heart and write “FORGIVENESS MENDS OUR BROKEN HEARTS” You can colour the heart and listen to the song; You Forgive Me.

Sign of the cross.

God our loving father, you want us to live as your children. Help us to ask for forgiveness when we make choices that turn against you. Thank you for welcoming us home with open arms. Amen

Today is the 4th Sunday of Lent, we are halfway through the Lenten Season. It is called Laetare Sunday and it corresponds with Gaudete Sunday in Advent. The liturgical colour is rose as we joyfully wait for the arrival of Easter. Jesus teaches about forgiveness in the parable of the Prodigal Son.

  • We should take responsibility for our actions and realise that they have consequences
  • The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a way of bringing us closer to God
  • ‘Reconciliation Hands’ printout.
  • Pen/pencil colours
  • Stickers to decorate
printoutDownload

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is the second sacrament that you have received (after Baptism and before First Holy Communion) and is one of the two Sacraments of Healing (the other is the anointing of the sick). How exactly does it heal us? It teaches us that God is full of mercy and love when we reach out to Him in this sacrament. 

Imagine this scene, your parents have told you never to kick a ball inside the house. One day whilst your parents are outside you and your sibling decide to play with a ball inside even though you know that you shouldn’t. Whilst you are kicking the ball it hits a lamp, sending it crashing to the floor. What do you think your parents will say when they find out? They may be angry or disappointed first because the lamp is broken and also because you went against their instructions! Perhaps you have never broken something in this way but we all have the experience of needing to accept responsibility for having done something wrong. When you admit to having done something wrong what do you expect to happen? You might be asked to clear up the mess or you may be punished by not being allowed to watch TV or play your favourite game. There will definitely be a consequence for your wrong action. Can you imagine your parents giving you a party when you own up to your mistakes? This is what happens in today’s Gospel, a son who does something wrong askes his father for forgiveness expecting to be treated in a certain way but the reaction of his father is very surprising. We can follow the story of the Prodigal Son in the video clip. When the son returns home after wasting all his money and askes his father for forgiveness what does the son expect his father to do? The son expects his father to be angry and to treat him like a servant and not his son. But what does the father do when his son admits his wrong doing? Surprisingly the father welcomes the son back with open arms and throws a party in his honour giving him new clothes and fine food. 

Print out the ‘Reconciliation Hands’ and write on each hand a sentence about why it is important to forgive others and what you can do this week at home to treat everyone equally and fairly. Listen to the song; FORGIVNESS

The father in this parable is an image for us of how much God wants to forgive us. If there are times when we feel we have done something so bad that God could never forgive us, we can remember this story. When we say we are sorry for our sins, we ask God to forgive us. In particular, we seek God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Let’s pray the Act of Contrition.

Sign of the cross.

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good. I have sinned against You whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Amen

How to use this space

God speaks to us in many ways, including through the Sunday Scripture readings. Here you will find useful background and activities to better understand the upcoming Sunday's Scripture readings, helping you to connect the Scripture to daily life in a meaningful way.