The story of “The Prodigal Son” is read every third Sunday of the Great Lent. It is a story that reminds us about God’s never- ending compassion, His love for us and His forgiveness. This story is found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15. The story begins with a man with 2 sons. The younger son asks his father for an early inheritance and once he received it, he left his father and wasted all his money. It got to the point where he was so poor, he wished to eat the food he was supposed to feed to the pigs. He finally decided to go back home and ask for his father’s forgiveness saying,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.” But before his father heard this, he threw his arms around him, kissed him and even asked his servants to bring him the best robe for his son to wear. He held a huge party to celebrate his son’s return saying, “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”
This story is so beautiful as it tells us that Jesus is our loving father who is waiting for all His children to return from being away from Him. The Church reads this important parable during Lent to encourage its children to offer up a true repentance of the heart and return to God. This story comforts us because it shows us that God does not only love us, but He will forgive us all our sins and take us in His arms once we decide to return to Him through prayer, confession and communion. This Lent, let us all
return to God like the prodigal son, praying and asking God to accept us back as His children.