livingtheword

download: 4th Sunday Lent of Year C

Reflection question 7: The Father does a number of humiliating actions which show the depth of his love. The Father runs in public. It was unbecoming for a Jewish elder to show one’s ankles in public. It is the equivalent of ‘baring one’s bottom’. The crowds attention is now drawn away from the son and the possibility of hurting him. The father accepts the humiliation, in front of the whole community, of the older son angry and argumentative. Does the older son wish the father was dead too? Does anyone appreciate the Fathers love? If this is what God is like toward you what is your response?

• The Sacrament of Reconciliation is often celebrated before Holy Week in parishes. You may find this reflection on the Parable of the Prodigal Son helpful for your personal reading and preparation. Check out the googlebooks link to the Parable of the Prodigal Son in ‘The Cultural World of Jesus”