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(30th March 2025) Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent

READ: (Josh 5:9-12; 2 Cor 5: 17-21; Lk 15: 1-3, 11-32)

REFLECT: Rejoice: for renewal of life is near…

My dear friends, we are in the fourth Sunday of Lent. Today is the halfway through the season of Lent. This Sunday is called as ‘rejoice Sunday’, because we are half way through experiencing the hope of resurrection in Jesus, the risen Lord. As in the season of Advent we have ‘Gaudete Sunday,’ so also in Lent we have a Sunday commonly called as ‘Laetare Sunday,’ which means rejoice Sunday or Joyous Sunday. So the readings of the day give us important message to rejoice in God.

In St. Paul’s letter to Philippians we read, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.  Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus,” (Phil 4: 4-9). Yes, it is a time to rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus as it brings us new hope and renewed enthusiasm to Christians. So based on the liturgy of the word, I would like to share with you three points of reflection.

1.     Rejoice in the blessings of God:

Every day we need to rejoice because God gives us blessings in different ways. That’s what the Psalmist would say “This is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 118:24). We have every reason to rejoice in God, because in one way or the other we receive grace upon graces to face the realities of life. We always remember and say to ourselves at times that we can never forget that day, a memorable day which made us so happy. When we think of the day of rejoicing, we forget the days of sorrow and sadness. More than sorrowful events joyful events give us strength, positive vibes and energy to move on with life in dynamism and enthusiasm. The one who looks at the sorrows of life continues to mourn loses the peace of mind and the one who experiences sorrows and lives life with determination and optimism leads a life of satisfaction and serenity. Therefore, it is important to be optimistic in life, believing God gives us many ways to rejoice in life, provided we do what is pleasant to God.

That’s what we see in the first reading from the book of Joshua, 5:9, 10-12. Today's reading recounts the celebration of the Passover in the Promised Land by Joshua and those who had journeyed with him in the desert for 40 years. By the commemoration or celebration of Passover, the Jewish people celebrate it to remember when God used Moses to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, as told in the book of Exodus in the Bible. They rejoice in the blessings of the Lord, the great and the mighty works God has done to them in their life.

Perhaps, the journey of people Israel through the desert had been a kind of  renewal as they have been made understood about their unfaithfulness to God, and as they had arrived at the Promised Land, it was a fresh start, where God was relieving them the burdens of their past. The celebration of Passover in the Promised Land was significant event for Israelites, because it marked a new chapter in their relationship with God, now that they had entered the land of promise.

The Passover was a reminder of God’s faithfulness in freeing the Israelites from slavery. Similarly, we need to celebrate and remember with great rejoicing the ways God has freed us from various bondages and giving us his blessings throughout our lives. We need to take time to realize and be grateful to God for his goodness to us. I am sure such attitudes and approaches would only help us to appreciate what we have obtained rather it would enrich and strengthen our faith to live life meaningfully and devoutly. Moreover, the entry into the Promised Land marked a significant change in the life of people Israel from wandering nation to settling in a particular place by the blessing and providence of God. Similarly, we need to identify the significant life-changing events and start a fresh life in God our creator, leaving behind our sorrows and sinful ways, uniting ourselves with God in prayer and conviction. .

Pope Francis in his encyclical letter ‘Fratelli Tutti’ very aptly says, “God’s blessings are not meant to be kept for ourselves. We are called to be instruments of peace, to share what we have with others.” Yes, this is what we are called to do today.  It is not important that we become the recipients of God’s blessings and rejoice in it rather we need to become givers of God’s blessings to others and make others rejoice as well by the blessings of God through our words and deeds. Today, we all need to rejoice in the blessings of God that we have countlessly obtained. The list of events that we need to be grateful to God is life-long list, because every moment we are experiencing blessings of God but we are not aware of it nor concerned about it. Because, we think that we deserve. We don’t deserve blessings for our unfaithfulness and ingratitude, yet God gives blessings in abundance, so that we rejoice in God’s blessings.

2.     Rejoice in the reconciliation of God

Reconciliation is all about our restoration of relationship with God, others and oneself. We are aware of God’s restoring us to himself in and through Jesus Christ. Reconciliation is as well the foundational or fundamental aspect of Christian faith. In and through reconciliation we mend broken relationships with God, others and oneself. That’s what we read in St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life” (Rom 5:10). Thus, reconciliation is initiated by God, which manifest the deep love that God has for us, his children. It is God, who reaches out to the humanity while we were sinners and separated from him, he still thinks of us uniting with his as sons and daughters.

Something similar we find in the second reading from the second letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians. The reconciliation to humanity with God has been brought about by Christ’s death on the cross. Jesus, who is like us in all things yet without sin bore our sins and offered himself on the cross as an atoning sacrifice. Thereby God reconciled us to himself. Through this sacrifice we became the righteousness of God. Yes, although reconciling at initial stages is a pain to face the other, meet the other and to get in conversation with other, but in the long run it gives us rejoicing experience, because reconciliation has the power to reunite, rekindle the spirit and restore the lost relationship. Thus, we need to understand that restoration or reconciliation gives us a chance to embrace and be in touch with God. It enhances our understanding that God does not count our sins and failures but God always shows his deep desire to take us close to God. That’s the powerful expression of God’s love for us by the sacrifice of his only Son Jesus for our redemption. We only pray that this reconciliation changes the way we look at ourselves and others. Indeed, we choose to live in freedom and grace of God than living in shame or guilt.

The second reading from St. Paul’s letter is an invitation for us to live and move our lives with the purpose that God has initiated or planned for each one of us. The purpose that God has initiated in each one of us is that we reflect our identity as sons and daughters of God, live in reconciliation and forgiveness as God has reconciled and has forgiven us in Christ. Once we realize God’s purpose and his plan for us, we would automatically choose to glorify God and reflect his identity and image at all times. Today one of the ways and means to reconcile with God and with one another is the sacrament of reconciliation. God reconciled with the world through Jesus Christ and Jesus gave us in and through the Church the sacrament of reconciliation to reconcile with God and with one another. The sacrament of reconciliation gives us joy in abundance. So let us frequent this Sacrament not as routine but as a root that strengthens our Christian ways of living.

On the importance of reconciliation and forgiveness, Pope Francis has very beautifully mentioned in his Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year of Mercy, Misericordiae Vultus, “The Church is a witness to mercy, and the sacrament of reconciliation is one of the clearest ways in which God’s mercy is offered to us. It is the path of conversion and forgiveness, and in it, we find true joy.”  Yes, let us realize and understand that reconciliation with God through Christ offers us joy and peace with God and with one another. When there is peace within, the manifestation of joy becomes real, because God creates space for such an inner peace. Let us work for peace within, peace that transforms and touches the lives of others by ways of reconciliation and forgiveness. If only we realize that God has paid the eternal price for our redemption, we would work for the everlasting reward or prize of eternal life.

3.     Rejoice in the returning to God

Our heart always rejoices to come back to God. As much as we feel going away from God so much we shall come back to God. We know the words of St. Augustine, “Late have I loved you, beauty so old and so new: late have I loved you. And see, you were within and I was in the external world and sought you there, and in my unlovely state I plunged into those lovely created things which you made. You were with me, and I was not with you.”  

We have for reflection the famous and the familiar gospel passage, the parable of the Prodigal Son. I personally feel that this is what would have been the pulse and feelings of the prodigal son in the parable towards his compassionate father. The prodigal son realizes the love of the father, values the goodness and compassionate heart of the father, he is willing to be at the service of the father as his son, he firmly believes that coming back to father is the only option that could give him an access to enjoy the sonship and renew the life that was lost due to his sporadic nature.

The Gospel reading of the day narrates to us the parable of the Prodigal Son. Perhaps this is one of Jesus’ most inspiring and heart-touching parables. This parable powerfully points out to us how God is compassionate and kind, how he waits for our returning without any expectation from us. We have firm feel from the Gospel reading that when we return to God with a repentant heart to renew life or reaffirm the love that we have for God, he does not reproach or reject us rather accepts us as we are with an extended hands and heart to be one with him.

This parable as well is an invitation to all of us to celebrate the return of anyone who comes back to God. There is no question of resentment or unworthiness; there is no thought of status quo; there is no suspicion about God’s mercy and compassion; there is no delay in God coming at our doorstep when we want to join hands and hearts with him. God only wishes that we come back to him. That our coming back to God brings a great rejoicing, because we are dead to sin and alive for new life in the Lord. Therefore, we are called to share in the joy of reconciliation and returning to God with one another. God rejoices over the lost being found, and we too should share in that joy. Let us not be the like the elder brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, who was unhappy and resented at the coming of the younger brother. Let us make every effort to resemble in character the prodigal father of mercy and compassion, who was waiting when his son would come, who celebrates and rejoices at the coming of his son. The Lord is waiting for you and me. Are we ready to come back to God with great rejoicing, relying on the mercy and compassion of God.

Today most of us have gone away from God because we are distracted and dissuaded by the lovely looks and approaches of the external world. We have not understood the real love that is always within us, that is God. The Lord rejoices in our returning. Returning from our waywardness, returning from lose living, returning from gossip and spreading unnecessary rumors, returning from anger, jealousy. That’s why very aptly Pope Francis has said, “When someone repents and returns to God, we are called to celebrate with them, just as the father celebrates with his son. We should never harbour feelings of resentment or jealousy when others receive God’s mercy. God’s love is for everyone, and He wants all of His children to share in His joy” Yes, let us not be like the elder son, who represents the difficulty some Christians experience in accepting God’s mercy for others. Let us rejoice in the returning of anyone to God and to remember that God’s mercy is for all.

RESPOND:

Do we rejoice in the blessings of God and show our gratitude to God by the life we live?

Do we rejoice in reconciling with God and with one another by offering forgiveness or we choose to remain in sin, separating ourselves from the love of God?

Do we rejoice in the returning of a sinner to God or do we reproach them with resentment and Jealousy?

So, let us rejoice in the enormous blessings of God, reconcile with God and with others and rejoice in our retuning to God for the fullness of life.  Amen.

God bless us all! Live Jesus!