SATURDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF LENT - Gospel (Luke 15:1-3. 11-32) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“We must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again, he was lost and has been found.” (Lk 15:32)

FIRST READING - Micah 7:14-15, 18-20

A reading from the Book of Micah

Shepherd your people with your staff,

the flock of your inheritance,

That dwells apart in a woodland,

in the midst of Carmel.

Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,

as in the days of old;

As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt,

show us wonderful signs.

Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt

and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance;

Who does not persist in anger forever,

but delights rather in clemency,

And will again have compassion on us,

treading underfoot our guilt?

You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins;

You will show faithfulness to Jacob,

and grace to Abraham,

As you have sworn to our fathers

from days of old.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 15:1-3, 11-32

From the Gospel according to Luke

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.'"

SATURDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF LENT - Gospel (Luke 15:1-3. 11-32)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

In today’s Word of God, God the Father says to all humankind that God is rich in mercy. He is not an evil spirit; He is Love. His love covers all humanity and covers countless sins for humanity. However, humanity must know how to open our hearts to receive the will of God the Father and put it into practice.

As in today’s Word of God, God the Father invites sinners to repent of their sins and return to Him to reconcile with Him. Sincere repentance of our sins to God the Father is the wisdom that brings life to our souls because He will bestow all blessings on those who repent, stop sinning, and return to Him, like the image of the younger son. This example is for sinful children who know to repent and return to God the Father.

He shows mercy to sinners; He does not reject them. On the contrary, He always opens His arms to those children who repent, feel remorse for their sins, and are determined to return to reconcile with God the Father.

However, besides that, God the Father also gave us the image of the elder son. Because of jealousy, cruelty, and greed, we despise sinners, who are our brothers and sisters of the same Father. These are the forms in which Satan tempts people greatly today. Because they will find every way to separate our brothers and sisters from each other, living in discord with each other just because of jealousy, competition, envy, and lack of mercy. This way of life does not come from God the Father.

Therefore, He invites His children to know how to return to Him through repentance for our sins: determined to stop sinning, determined to stand up and return to God the Father, to live in love with our fellow human beings, to fear Him, and following His teachings, which are:

-We must be charitable to sinners, love sinners, and help them to have the opportunity to stand up and return to God’s heart. And God Himself will give them the strength to examine themselves, repent, acknowledge their sins, and be determined to give them up in order to receive forgiveness.

Be merciful, like the image of God the Father shown in the Father in today’s Gospel. The father always loved and looked forward to his sinful son returning home.

He always loved and patiently taught the younger son. He always loved and gently taught the older son how to live to please God the Father—how to show love, how to give up pride, selfishness, greed, jealousy, and envy to love and accept our brothers and sisters, like God the Father, who is rich in mercy.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

19:00 March 22nd,2025 Prayer of Divine Mercy - The Way to Heaven